5 Tips for How to Choose a Cricket Bat That’s Right for You

Getting the perfect equipment won’t make you a perfect player. However, arming yourself with the best and most reliable equipment can only serve to help improve your game and show off your skills in the best way possible. Cricket is a technical game that oftentimes comes down to the players having the best equipment. But how do you go about choosing a cricket bat? With all the different brands and types out there, it can be overwhelming. Let’s go over 5 things that will help you learn how to choose a cricket bat that will work best for you.

1. Choose the Right Size for You

Cricket bats come in a range of sizes. You might think that a bigger bat is better, but that’s not the case. If you’re a smaller player, a large bat will be more difficult to handle. The key with bat size is to match it up with your height. Lookup a height-to-size chart online in order to find which size bat will be suited for you. 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 long handle (LH) size bat.

2. Ball Type

Cricket can be played with a number of different balls: leather, tennis, foam, or rubber. The type of cricket ball you use should be taken into account when purchasing a bat. Tennis balls are lightweight. For those playing with tennis balls, you don’t need a bat that’s too thick or heavy since it’s such a lightweight ball. Leather and rubber balls, however, are heavier. The best cricket bat for leather ballplayers is sturdier and heavier. These ball types require a thicker and sturdier bat in order to exert the same force on the ball.

3. Bat Weight

Besides length, bat weight is a crucial factor that can have a huge effect on your game. Heavier bats are more durable and can make more of an impact on the ball. The increased weight, however, can be harder for some players to handle. This can decrease your control on the bat, or make it impossible for you to swing fast enough to actually hit the ball. Lightweight bats are easier to handle, require less strength, and can give you a faster overall bat speed. However, some find that lighter bats deteriorate more quickly and aren’t as powerful.

Depending on your strengths as a player (literally and figuratively) the weight of the bat can be a huge factor in choosing a bat. Speedy, nimble, and small? A lighter bat could be for you. Strong and powerful? Perhaps a heavier bat would be better.

4. Willow Grade Differences

Different types of cricket bats are made with a different “grade” of willow. There are two main willow distinctions: English willow and Kashmir willow. Overall, English willow is superior to Kashmir since it lasts longer, is more “springy”, and more reliable. However, English willow is more expensive. Kashmir bats are great for beginners or for those looking to get into cricket without shelling out a lot of money. We have a wide selection of cricket bats at many different price points so you can find one that works for you and your budget.

Besides willow type, there’s also the grade to consider. The grades range from 1 to 5 with 1 being the best in terms of making, reliability, and quality. Grade 1 is also, understandably, the most expensive.

5. Handle Type

We have the type of handle. This is an understandably important part of the bat: without a proper or comfortable grip, you won’t be able to control the bat how you need to. The handle should also absorb impact and shock from the ball so you don’t feel it in your hands. There are usually two types of handles: oval and round.

Oval handles are strong and provide you great directional control of the bat. A downside is that some people find it hard to grip. Usually, the top hand ends up with most of the control with oval handle bats.

Round handle bats make it easier to control with both the top and the bottom hand. This is important for players who flick their wrists when batting. It’s also easier to get a firm grip with round handles, which is essential for power hitters.

How Can We Help?

OVX India is one of India’s Largest Upcoming Online Marketplace which you can access from almost anywhere. Just Log on to OVX India & search for Cricket Bat. The page takes you to a place where a list of vendors willing to offer their sports kit to you is shown. Choose out the option that best suits you. Also, keep what we’ve discussed in mind!

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