When you look back at the codependent things in life, the first thing that spurs to my mind would be my dadi and her plant pots in the balcony. There’s genuinely a part of me that thinks they complete each other, and the importance they share in each others’ life is remarkable. On the greens of the cricket pitch, there’s an uncountable amount of codependency that takes place. But when it comes to sending the ball back to the heavens, the only codependency that matters is the cocking-uncocking of the wrist and power hitting.
We talked to the renowned NCA coach Apurva Desai about wrist control in power and placement, and how important it is to improve your overall batting performances on the pitch.
While you sit back on your dead-end desk job and warm up your wrists before sending the most scathing email ever written in the history of the world, remember that the exact same exercise is what differentiates the mediocres and the legends in the sport of cricket. Hopefully it makes you realise that your future might not be flushed down the drain after all (you’re welcome).
Cocking the wrist plays a crucial role in maximizing power and control in batting. As you grip the bat, locking your wrist gives your top hand full command. This locked position is maintained throughout most of the swing, allowing for a controlled extension. The key lies in the timing: just before impact, you unlock or "break" the wrist. This late release harnesses the speed of the wrist muscles, providing an extra burst of power at the critical moment. Additionally, this technique allows for precise bat face control, enabling you to direct your shot as desired. In contrast, an uncocked wrist throughout the swing lacks this final acceleration, potentially reducing bat speed and overall power. The cocking and strategic unlocking of the wrist thus serve as a power reserve, unleashed at the optimal instant for maximum effect and placement control.
Also Read : Cricket IQ: The Importance of Bat-Lift
“Everything comes down to cocked wrist and you uncock it at the last minute and that is what you hear on TV saying, breaking the wrist late. So breaking the wrist is nothing but uncocking the wrist which gives you power and placement as you want it and that increases the bat speed tremendously when you need the ball,” says our batting mentor.
Cocking and uncocking your wrist isn't just the pickle on your batting thali, it's the whole butter chicken. Our NCA guru has explained it clearer than Sachin's straight drive - it's all about timing that wrist release like you're catching the last wicket in a nail-biting IPL finale. At the crease, don't be a statue in a wax museum. Focus on that wrist like it's the last samosa at a birthday party. Master this, and you'll be sending balls flying faster than a Rajdhani Express.