Cricket has changed a lot.
Bats are getting heavier, boundaries smaller, and the powerplay rules started to favour the batsman more. Wickets, nowadays, are made with the intent of providing entertainment, and most importantly, the use of two new balls in ODI seemed like a final nail in the bowler’s coffin.
With all these batsmen-favoring factors, the power-hitting in Cricket is still not an easy task.
To be literally honest, the batsman are not against a street cricketer. International bowlers of the present know how to adapt to scenarios and are backed up with strategists and experienced mentors.
Of course, the six-hitting techniques of the batsmen have evolved in cricket– a big thanks to T20 cricket. But have you ever wondered what goes on the batsmen’s mind before he sends the ball out of the park with the accurate calculation? What kind of skill set is required to be the most destructive batsmen of this era?
Let’s get into the technical analysis and the factors that make our chosen seven modern-day cricketers’ six-hitting techniques and ability more special.
1. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has this superpower of clearing the boundaries without any fuss. He will just stand and deliver, like a hitman!
His flawless timing
Timing is the keyword with which you can define him. Rohit’s sheer timing helps him in making lofted straight drives effortlessly.
Rhythmic bat-swing
If you look at Rohit’s bat swing, you can see a complete arc of the bat with the stylish follow through. And the way he completes a shot had even helped him when he mishit the ball.
Natural hand-eye coordination
Incase of sighting the ball, the hitman is gifted with an x-factor like what Virender Sehwag had. No matter how fast the ball is bowled to them, they both could take extra seconds to play their shot. It’s because of their extraordinary hand-eye coordination.
Hitman’s Pull-shot
Pull shot is what the hitman is known for. Rohit adjusts his back foot toe in the direction where he wants to hit it in the legside. The front leg just has to transfer weight to the back leg. Meanwhile, he never takes his eyes out of the ball that helps him to balance the head position. Eventually, the x-factor will come into play.
Get detailed analysis on Rohit Sharma’s Pull shot and the stats in our in-focus special!
Like other batsmen, Rohit doesn’t have to wait on his back foot, pull shot comes naturally to him like defending or leaving a good length ball. In fact, he’s far away from predetermined shots. And that’s why he is more successful in pulling and hooking the cricket ball.
Well, six-hitting is not the only super ability he is possessed with. He is a master of playing the long innings in all formats. Once he gets a flow in a pitch, he can bash the bowlers all around the park. Rohit Sharma is the only batsman to hit 3 ODI double centuries and more than 200 sixes in ODI in a single decade. Along with Virat Kohli, Rohit is one of the best batsman of the last decade.
2. Andre Russell
Ruthless hitting is the identity of this Caribbean cricketer. Andre Russell just loves hitting the cricket ball as hard as he can.
Great athleticism
Russell is a great athlete with natural flexibility a batsman should have. It is almost like sending the ball out of the park is his primary mission. Moreover, that helps him hit monstrous sixes.
The Typical Jamaican is fit both physically and mentally. And that is why he is very good at handling pressure situations.
His macho bat-swing
If the bowler bowls it in his arc, then there is no alternative. Russell’s powerful bat flow can even send the greatest of the restricting deliveries beyond the boundary.
Robust -point
The power generated precisely at the point of with the ball is what is quirky about him. The bat swing takes an extra push just before meeting the ball.
The mid-wicket slogs
The hardest hitter of the cricket ball in the modern days, is specifically fond of the mid-wicket region to go over the roof. Especially his slogger sweep with magnificent bat swing is a delight for the eyes.
With the flexible batting techniques and the brutal power-hitting ability, Andre Russell has produced 52 sixes in just 14 matches he played in the IPL 2019. And the tournament showcased his six-hitting ability to a massive audience globally. He is a perfect finisher of the game that any franchise would wish to have.
3. Chris Gayle
Christopher Henry Gayle is the Sachin Tendulkar of T20 cricket in of the runs he has produced in this format, which wouldn’t have been possible without his six-hitting ability.
His quick hands
The Windies batsman picks the ball more comfortably than any other player in the game. The power he muscles for a boundary cannot be felt through his body language but with the distance the ball covers.
Amazing reflex
Chris Gayle stands tall, and he never hesitates to bend down for tackling the toe crushers. On the other hand, he never finds it difficult to react to the surprising bouncers. This kind of reflexes from a massive bloke is just amazing. He can also make wider balls look an easy task with his long hands.
His batting muscles
Gayle’s bat swing is quick, and that gets him under the ball quite easily. He is not the fastest in the ground, but when it comes to hard-hitting, he is the one with the strongest and quickest batting muscles.
The big bat swing
Christopher Henry Gayle doesn’t use his footwork much, but the swing of his bat is enough to make him the sixer king of cricket.
The Universe Boss is a pure entertainer, who has hit a whopping number of 978 sixes so far in his T20 career. Moreover, he is the only cricketer ever in International cricket who has hit more than 500 sixes in all formats.
4. Glenn Maxwell
A complete entertainer– Glenn Maxwell uses his bat like a sword.
Smart batsman
Maxie is always aware of the field placements. Adding to that, he has got a complete package of shots to take the lead against the bowlers.
A good batsman doesn’t go over the fielder for a six. Instead, he will find gaps to go in the air. Maxie is one of that kind, and he is also fantastic in inventing shots for the maximums.
His shot making
The Victorian cricketer has the strength to whack the fastest of bowlers over the roof of the mid-wicket region. And at the same time, he can make switch hits to send the ball over sweeper cover and point region.
His cricketing book contains scoop shot, reverse scoop, hook shot, and switch hit. When it comes to hitting down the ground, he uses his power along with sheer timing. Moreover, he is able to convert his shots worthwhile.
His wrist work
Pliant wrists are the base of his improvisation of shots. Infact, he uses his wrist at the last fraction of second to guide the ball towards the spot where he wants to hit.
Brutal knocks from Maxwell have made him one of the toughest hitter of the cricket ball. He is also one of the very few batsmen to hit 3 T20 international centuries.
5. AB De Villiers
The edge of the seats is where the audience belongs when this 360-degree batsman is on display. One can definitely assure that AB De Villiers is the batsman who has the most number of shots among the top batsmen list.
The scoop-ish sweeps
Flexibility is the key to his unreal batting. Infact, he can even make a clear hit over the wicketkeeper for a six. The scoop-ish sweep that he makes to guide the ball between fine leg and long leg is the most amusing thing you could witness in a cricket field.
His quicker shuffles
ABD uses the whole crease box when he gets into the flow. And also he is so quick to move hither and thither. Besides, he has got the inborn reflexes that help him to tackle the ball without any pressure.
The lofted straight drives
When it comes to bookish shots, ABD can deliver them in his style too. The RCBian is equally strong with his lofted straight drives. The amount of bat and energy he involves when he smashes the ball down the ground, followed with the completion of shots behind the shoulder is something exceptional.
Wide range of shots
