Key takeaways
- Shots are classified by footwork, front foot for pitched-up balls and back foot for short ones, and by bat path, straight or cross-bat.
- Straight-bat shots include the forward and backward defensive, the glance, the flick and the drives: cover, off, straight and on.
- Cross-bat shots include the cut to the off side, the pull and hook to the leg side, and the sweep, mostly against spin.
- Modern innovations such as the reverse sweep and the switch hit are legal; the ICC cleared the switch hit after questions about it.
- Shot choice depends on the length and line of the ball, the field and the format.
Wikipedia's article on batting describes good technique as getting quickly into position: head and body in line with the ball, feet next to where it will bounce. The names of the shots, drive, cut, pull, sweep, describe two decisions: which foot to move and which way the bat swings. This guide follows the classification in Wikipedia's article on batting.
Two decisions behind every shot
| Decision | Options | When |
|---|---|---|
| Footwork | Front foot | Ball pitched up, arriving between ankle and thigh height |
| Back foot | Shorter ball, arriving between thigh and head height | |
| Bat path | Straight (vertical) bat | Either foot, depending on the ball's height |
| Cross (horizontal) bat | Balls too short or too wide to threaten the stumps |
For a right-hander, Wikipedia notes, the front foot is the left. Cross-bat shots, it adds, are more likely than straight-bat shots to miss the ball, which is why they are kept for balls that are not threatening the stumps.
Straight-bat shots
Defensive shots. A block played on the front foot is a forward defensive; on the back foot, a backward defensive. Wikipedia describes the block as a purely defensive stroke, played with soft hands, to stop the ball hitting the wicket or the batter's body.
The glance. A straight-batted shot to a ball slightly on the leg side, using the wrists to deflect it towards square leg or fine leg, off either foot.
The flick. Played on the leg side by flicking a full-length ball with the wrists, the bat coming through as for an on drive but with the face angled to leg.
Drives. A drive swings the bat in a vertical arc through the line of the ball, hitting it in front of the batter, usually along the ground. They are named by direction:
| Drive | Direction |
|---|---|
| Square drive | Towards point (Wikipedia notes that, despite the name, it is a horizontal-bat shot with the arm mechanics of the square cut) |
| Cover drive | Towards cover |
| Off drive | Towards mid-off |
| Straight drive | Straight past the bowler |
| On drive | Between the stumps and mid-on |
Most drives are kept along the ground to avoid being caught, but a lofted drive goes over the infield, and sometimes the boundary. Back-foot drives are possible but, Wikipedia notes, harder to force through the line of the ball.
Cross-bat shots
| Shot | Ball | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Cut | Short-pitched, wide of off stump | Wide on the off side |
| Late cut | Played as or after it passes the body | Towards third man |
| Upper cut | Outside off stump with extra bounce | Towards third man |
| Pull | Bouncing around waist height | Leg side, towards mid-wicket or square leg |
| Hook | At or above chest height | Behind square leg, along the ground or in the air |
| Sweep | Usually a spinner's ball, played kneeling | Leg side, towards square leg or fine leg |
The sweep is mainly used against spin, but Wikipedia notes some players also sweep fast bowlers.
Modern and unorthodox shots
- Reverse sweep: a sweep in the opposite direction, sending the ball to the off side towards backward point or third man.
- Switch hit: the batter changes handedness and stance while the bowler runs in, becoming a mirror image of their normal stance. Wikipedia notes its legality was questioned when it first appeared, but the ICC cleared it. For LBW, Law 36.3 of the 2026 Laws fixes the off side by the batter's position when the ball comes into play, so switching later does not change which side counts as off.
- Helicopter shot: a wristy flick using the bottom hand as the dominant force.
- Scoop: played on the front foot, getting beneath the bounce to hit the ball directly behind the stumps, up and over the wicket-keeper. Wikipedia calls it risky, because a mistimed scoop can offer a catch.
Choosing the shot
Shot selection is a judgment about risk:
- Length decides the foot. Full balls invite drives; short balls invite cuts and pulls.
- Line decides the side. Wide of off stump suggests cuts and cover drives; straight balls are safest with a straight bat.
- The field decides the gap. Batters aim between fielders; cricket fielding positions names those gaps.
- The format sets the risk. Wikipedia notes that in ODIs batters try to score quickly and accept more risk of dismissal, while in a Test, with unlimited overs, a batter can take their time. Powerplays explains the fielding restrictions that shape white-ball shot choice.
- The bowler matters. Wikipedia notes the sweep is usually played against slow bowlers; spin bowling variations explains what the batter is trying to read, and pace versus spin bowling what each bowler aims to do.
In Cricket Sport Career Simulator, one of our sports career games, batting technique and scoring is one of the skill groups you develop for your cricketer.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between front-foot and back-foot shots?
What is the difference between a pull and a hook?
What is the difference between a cut and a late cut?
Is the switch hit legal?
Sources
- Batting (cricket) (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- The Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026), Law 36.3 (opens in a new tab)Marylebone Cricket Club — accessed
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