"Bat Timing is the most underrated aspect of batting. It's not just about power, but about meeting the ball at the right moment with the right technique" highlights Kumar Sangakkara, former captain of the Sri Lankan national team. As is it with finding your soulmate in life, having impeccable timing can take you higher than Mount Everest.
Using Str8bat cricket bat sensors, you accumulate data on your timing index as seamlessly as seeing Harsha Bhogle string together a poetry-esque commentary. We had a conversation with Cricket Australia's Coach Development Specialist Bryan Harper about timing index, and how important it is to improve your overall batting performance on the pitch.
What is Timing Index?
Timing index is a measure of how well you’ve timed your shots. It is the ratio of the impact speed to the bat speed.
“Remember that you’re working on a ratio, so the number on the str8bat sensor should be closer to 100%,” says Mr. Harper.
What is the importance of timing index?
Unless you have biceps built like a prime Christian Bumstead, you will not have the power to clear the boundary without having immaculate timing on your shots. Your favourite legends of the game have come out and admitted that the timing of your shots, more often than not, is more essential than how hard you hit the ball. Improving your timing can also help reduce fatigue, preserving the crackhead energy that you can capitalise on towards the tail end of the innings. Being a player who perfects your timing will make you more flexible to different conditions and pitches, which means you can impress your fans with a blinder regardless of it being the Chinnaswamy or the Lords.
How to practice your timing index?
Without trying to sound like a broken tape recorder, your aim should be to get the index number as close to 100% as possible. The best way to train this is to put the sensor on the bat and keep hitting balls in the nets while focusing your mind on a few key areas. Footwork drills help a lot while trying to improve your timing index. While busting out your favourite Michael Jackson dance steps isn’t a tried and tested method, it would be more effective to try shadow batting and foot ladder exercises. Head positioning is also an essential aspect of batting to keep in mind, but what could help more is including some exercises in your workout routine that concentrate more on developing your wrist and forearm strength.
Also Read : Bryan Harper Masterclass on Impact Speed | str8bat Cricket Bat Sensor
How to use the data?
Assessing the data is one of the most important aspects of your practice while trying to improve your timing index. Coach Bryan Harper asks you to consider the following questions while looking at the numbers:
- What numbers are you achieving?
- How can you get them higher?
- Did you find that focusing on balance instead of bat speed helps increase timing index?
- Was your bat speed slowing down or speeding up into the contact point?
Tips on increasing timing index
You might be drinking Boost to increase your speed on the pitch, but our Australian coach says that speed isn’t everything. The best combination of timing and placement is key to maintaining a strike rate healthier than David Goggins.
Reading the initial data will make it clear that you’re not Viv Richards yet, and you don’t have the ability to clear the boundary without having to hit the ball without perfect timing. Use the str8bat data to find the best possible combination of bat speed, timing, and the sweet spot of your bat. Incorporating these tips into your practice will help get your shots to look more perfect than Megan Fox in the first Transformers movie.
