You know how they tell you that it’s about the journey, not the destination? Well, let’s talk about the journey of dating. It's like a really long, expensive job interview where you have to pretend you don't have any weird habits. “No, I definitely don't sing Kumkum Bhagya’s intro in the shower. And that shrine to Himesh sir in my closet? Purely ironic.” But honestly, once the journey gets beautiful, the destination becomes almost irrelevant. As a cricket batter, if you want to improve your game, the bat path (journey) is more important than the shot you play (destination).
We talked to the renowned NCA coach Apurva Desai about bat path, and how important it is to improve your overall batting performances on the pitch.
“What difference is in the different drives we play and how we position ourself, how the bat comes down, how the bat path is, where we generate power and direction is here. From a cover drive, to a straight drive, to on-drive, what changes? So a cover drive is essentially a half-volley ball pitching wide outside off-stump or outside off-stump. What I want to do is, I want to take my shoulder and get to the ball, and because I'm going to the ball, the shoulder dips a little bit, I get a nice bat lift coming from a higher position and I get a long, wide arc and I maintain the direction and it goes through,” says our batting mentor. While trying not to make it sound like an advert, the importance of your head & shoulders to your bat path is like that one torn banyan to your dad, even after your mom repeatedly tells him to burn it to the ground. Might be making all One D fans proud by saying that your head & shoulders and bat path should be in one direction, which is the intended direction. This isn’t Cricket 07 where you can come down the track and sweep it to the leg-side hoping for it to travel over mid-off in case of a mis hit.
Also Read : Unlocking the Secret to Perfect Bat Timing: Tips and Tricks for Every Batsman
Wall drills are effective. Stand with your back almost touching a wall. Practice your batting stroke, ensuring your bat doesn't hit the wall behind you. This forces you to keep your bat path straight and close to your body. You can also try to play in front of mirror. Unfortunately, this doesn’t involve you checking your hair and being attracted to yourself for a brief second (different level of narcissism by the way). Rather, stand sideways to a mirror and practice your stroke in slow motion. Watch your bat path and make adjustments to keep it as straight as possible. The most common practice aspiring pros use is to tie a ball to a string and suspend it from the ceiling or the fan above, by practicing to hit it with a straight bat, focusing on making clean contact with a straight path.
The secret sauce to becoming the next Thala or King Kohli isn't just about having a fancy bat or perfecting your victory dance. It's all about that sweet, sweet bat path. Think of it as the GPS for your cricket dreams – get it right, and you'll be navigating boundaries like a pro. Remember, mastering your bat path is like learning to moonwalk – it looks effortless when MJ does it, but it takes practice, patience, and probably a few embarrassing attempts in front of your bathroom mirror. So, whether you're dreaming of hitting sixes at Wankhede or just want to impress your crush at the local gully cricket match, focus on that bat path.
