Who Bats?
There was a period when a good pure cricketing shot evoked praise not only from the runner but also from the opponents. It was pleasant on the eyes and when you see those shots replayed again and again you would like to emulate them when provided a chance. But slowly the art of batting is becoming extinct except for a few gladiators who still show the world that belting the cover of the ball is not the only way to score runs.
The way Sachin meets the ball at the precise moment with a high elbow to let the ball fly of the turf to the straight boundary and the way the Dravids, Kallises, and Attapattus tell the ball to go to the extra cover boundary. It seems as though they are ball whisperers who softly cajole the 5.7 ounce rounded object bowled at them at around 140 clicks rather than commanding it. To me they treat this rounded object as a living breathing thing. It’s almost like watching a kungfu movie where the hero will divert the swords thrown at him by swirling with them and then diverting it to an harmless location.
Seeing the players who ply their trade in this IPL, the younger ones who are just in their early twenties, you will start to wonder whether they know anything about holding the well crafted willow. They way Manish Pandey goes about his business and the way the openers attack the new ball, there is more desperation than anything. Even in this mayhem there is one person still playing improvised cricket shots, when I mean cricket shots it is proper cricket shots not a mow down the cow corner. The way Sachin has blossomed over the last few years without compromising on artistry is just great when you compare an artist of highest calibre like VVS has become a house painter.
I think it is time that coaches start inculcating the right techniques without changing their natural game. What I mean is they don’t have to change the stance or the way his head is aligned with his body when he starts in the batting crease, but the coach must insist on high elbow, bat closer to body, timing rather than hitting etc. We hope that in future there will be more artists rather than painters.
