Cricket is a technical game that requires its players to have reliable equipment. Getting the perfect equipment won’t immediately make you an impeccable player, but using the best bat, helmet, glove or safety pads will help you improve your game faster and show off your skills in the best way possible. Using the right cricket bat can make all the difference. However, choosing the ideal one might be challenging as there are several types available.
Choosing the Right Cricket Bat
For starters, try to find premium-quality cricket bats for sale to boost your performance on the field. But how do you find just the right one for you? Which one will last the longest? Which one can you afford? To make the selection process easier, there are four basic types of cricket bats you can choose from.
English Willow
The English willow or also called white willow is a type of willow that is native to England, as its name suggests. It is the only willow that a flood of foreign cricketers chooses. In fact, it has been mass-produced because it’s the perfect bat for every professional batsman due to its contraction and toughness.
There are primarily five grades (1–5) of English Willow bats, the higher grade one being the best quality and having straighter grains on the bat. However, these are a bit more expensive than regular bats.
Kashmiri Willow
When exploring the different cricket bats for sale, you will see that the Kashmiri willow is among the most frequent bats cricketers love to play with. It’s the perfect type of bat made from Kashmiri wood. It’s a high-end type of wood, therefore, bats made of this wood are costly but of fine quality and durable.
You will have no difficulty recognizing it in the store as the bats made from Kashmiri are brownish and hand-made. They tend to be lighter when compared to any other type. Because of all these features, Kashmiri willows are ideal for beginners.
However, the most common question every newbie asks is “What is the difference between an English and Kashmiri willow and how to differentiate between the two? English willow bats are much lightweight, smoother, and have better grain quality than Kashmiri ones, which is why it is the preferred type by the majority of toppers and experienced batsmen all over the world.
Softball Cricket Bat
The softball cricket bat is solely used for casual local or gully cricket but not for international cricket. This bat is made of premium wood or fibre and soft rubber. These cricket bats are not used by professional cricketers, therefore, a softball cricket bat costs less than an English and Kashmir willow.
These cricket bats are used by kids to play at home or in gullies. Also, they may be the best equipment for youngsters to learn cricket at an early age. Cricket softball bats are now readily available for use. Although these bats need to be knocked in or oiled, unlike softball or tennis ball bats, power is not necessary to strike the ball.
Training Cricket Bat
A training cricket bat is generally utilized as a piece of cricket gear to aid in skill development. These bats can be built by a producer or with Kashmir willow or English willow since they are not made from a single willow.
Training cricket bats are utilized in professional cricket. They are available in a range of widths and sizes. A training cricket bat typically has half the width of a standard cricket bat. Coaches can use the training type as a weapon during practice sessions, which is quite effective. Similar to other professional types, training cricket bats are additionally pounded in and greased during the learning phase.
Tips on How to Choose the Type that Works Best for You
Since finding the type of bat that will best work for you isn’t always a straightforward process, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Pick the Ideal Size
Even though bats for cricket come in different sizes, many newbies might think that bigger is always better, which is not the case. You should match the bat to your height. Therefore, if you’re a small player a large bat will be difficult to handle. To give you an idea, people ranging from 5’3″ to 5’5″ usually use a size 6 bat while people over 6′ usually use a bat with a long handle.
Determine the Shape and Your Play Style
Bats for cricket are made with a variety of profiles, edges, scallops, sweet spots, and other features. These characteristics alter how the bat is fashioned and, consequently, how well it performs depending on the player. Most bats are made to be used in T20, ODI, or Test cricket.
Players should choose their strategy for the game. Do you tend to move with your front or back foot more often? The sweet spot of bats can be positioned more optimally to improve the value of stroke play. Have the sweet spot in the mid-to low range if you prefer to play off the front foot. Look for bats with a sweet spot that is positioned mid-to-high if you want to play off the back foot.
Choose the Suitable Weight
Weight and pickup are the next most crucial factors. A bat that is too heavy or too light may negatively impact your ability to play, so avoid either situation. Juniors should pay extra attention to this. Because if you lack the strength to accurately play your shots, even the biggest bat won’t guarantee that you will hit the ball further. Therefore, a bat that is too light could limit your ability. This is why it’s preferable to pay attention to a bat’s pickup rather than its weight.
