How to choose a Cricket Bat
A good cricket bat is a must thing to have to play cricket. Choosing a perfect cricket bat is more difficult than you think. Almost every bat looks the same which makes it even tougher. Selection of a wrong size/ weight bat will reduce your level of performance. So here I am to help you out. Today I am posting some simple steps to keep in mind while buying a Cricket Bat. The following steps will help you to find the best suitable bat for you. how to choose a cricket bat.
(You may also like our post Top 10 Best Cricket Bats in the world)
Selection Steps:
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Requirement:
First of all you should keep in mind your requirement. If you play with tennis balls, a tennis cricket bat is good enough for you. If you play with leather balls, you should buy thicker bat.
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Size:
There are various sizes available. You should choose the size according to your height. This picture will show you the height and size relation. how to choose a cricket bat.
H*= Harrow. SH*= Short Handle. LH*= Long Handle.
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Willow:
This is one of the most important thing to choose. There are mainly two types of willows in the world used to make bats. These are English Willow and Kashmir Willow. English Willow is preferred by majority of bat manufacturers. English Willow Bats are costlier than Kashmir Willow. English Willow Bats have more stroke, power and performance. These are imported bats. Kashmir Willow Bats are cheaper and good for beginners.
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Weight:
This is the essential part of buying a bat. The heavier bats are durable and provide more power to the shots. A lighter bat will allow you to play all the shots with faster bat speed and better control. English Willow Bats are lighter than Kashmir Willow. So, you should select your bat according to its feel and pickup. Sometimes heavy bats feel lighter due to smart bat making technique. It also depends on your hold. how to choose a cricket bat.
(You may also like our post Top 10 Best Cricket Bats in the world )
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Grains:
Grains are the lines present on the Face of the bat. They show the age of the willow. The more the grains (10+) the better bat performs from early stage. But it will last a little shorter than less grained bats. The less grains (6-) bat have a stronger wood and longer life. So I suggest you should go for 6 to 8 grain bat. It will provide you a perfect combination of performance and durability.
More or Narrow Grain, Cricvision 
Less or Wide Grain, Cricvision
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Batting Style:
Your batting style can help you to decide the shape of the bat. Front foot players have success with bats with lower middle. Back foot players usually choose higher middle bats. how to choose a cricket bat.
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Pitch type:
Pitches of different locations behave differently. Pitches of Indian subcontinent like India or Sri Lanka have low bounce. Batsmen from these countries prefer bats with lower middle. Countries like Australia and South Africa have harder, bouncier pitches. There batsmen prefer bats with higher middle.
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Handle:
A good handle absorb the shock created from the ball. Oval shape in the lower handle provides strength to its structure. It improves the pickup of the bat. It also provides players a better directional feel. But it is difficult to grip oval handle bat too hard. As a result the top hand controls the shot. So I recommend the technical batsmen to go for oval handled bat. Round handle provide more control to the bottom hand. Thus hard hitting batsmen must go for round handled bats. You can select the length of your handle as per your comfort level. how to choose a cricket bat.
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Grips:
Just like the bats, every hand is different. Batsman’s hands affect the design of handle. If a batsman has small hands, he can go for a thinner handle. This can be managed by applying extra rubber grips. The grips help you to get the actual width and feel of the handle you want. Many players like to have two grips. It provides lighter pickup and improved bat speed. But it also adds some extra weight to the bat. Choose number of grips on the basis of your feel of the bat.
(You may also like our post Top 10 Best Cricket Bats in the world )
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Toe Guard:
Toe Guard, Cricvision The toe of the bat is not as strong as its middle. A bat is designed to hit the ball from the center of the blade. That is 6-8 inches up from the toe. Toe contains less amount of wood. When batsmen face Yorkers, ball meets the toe end of the bat. The impact of fast moving bat meeting the speed of the ball can be very high. It can cause the wood to dent or split. It can be prevented through fitting a toe guard. So I suggest you should fit a toe guard to the bat to reduce the risk of breakage. Many cricket bats come with a toe guard attached. how to choose a cricket bat.
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Brands:
There are many reliable brands available in the market. Some of them are Adidas, Reebok, Puma, GM, SS, SG, Kookaburra and Gray Nicolls etc. Kookaburra and Gray Nicolls are one of the most popular and trusted brands. Prices may vary with brands and models.
A good bat is a combination of the taste of a batsman and the skill of a bat maker. The bat is made of wood, which is a natural product. There has to be some small knots or spots on the bat. So the bat must always be chosen on the basis of the feel and not looks.
A great cricket bat is not going to make you a great batsman. But it’s the only tool you have to prove your talent and skills. The correct bat will help you to become as good batsman as you can be.
I wish this post will help you to get the best suitable cricket bat for yourself. Please provide your valuable feedback and share this post.
Comments 59
nice information..
Dear Vikash,
Thank you for the comment.
wow this is amazing, thank you so much
I need your help I have bought a slazenger bat Kashmir willow by there are two lines on its handle does that mean that it is cambidze bat?? Should a duce bat have 3 lines on the handle??
very important information
Dear Srimanta,
Thank you for the comment.
very good information for those who
are about to buy cricket bats. Just like me.
Dear Tanay,
Thank you for the generous comment.
Thoroughly very nice information
Dear Chintan,
Thank you for the comment.
Hello, very good article.
I need to buy a bat for heavy Tennis Balls (Red Vicky). Can you please suggest what should I go for? I am about 5’9″ tall and I feel comfortable with a short handle medium weight bats, off late. I have been using heavy bats earlier, but as I am growing old, I need to switch to a lighter one.
Dear Tanmoy,
For Heavy Tennis Balls, You can choose Kashmir willow bats. It will be cheaper and good enough. But as you said about the concern of weight, You can also check out grade 3 or 4 English willow cricket bat. It would be lighter and cost effective.
The weight of the bat depends on the craftsman’s skills. A smart bat-maker can produce a powerful bat with a light pickup and flow. Moisture level of the willow is also a huge factor. Short Handle would be the best for you. The selection must be based on the Feel of the Bat. If you are feeling good about handling it, thats the one for you.
I hope you will find my comment helpful. I will write more about the technical stuff in near future. Do follow my posts.
Thank you for the comment.
Very nice information
Dear Advait,
Thank you for the comment.
Hi i need to play with stumber and also hevy tennis ball. So which type bat i would choose…?
Dear Dhana,
Kashmir Willow bats would be better if you want to play with heavy tennis balls. Kashmir willow bats are heavier than English Willow ones. Heavy balls need more momentum to get hit properly. Kashmir Willow bats provide more momentum due to its weight. English Willow bats will turn on your hands due to the impact of heavy tennis balls (light weight). They also need more care and wet tennis balls can damage it.
One more piece of advice. You should try to time the heavy tennis ball rather than over hitting it. Tennis balls create a spongy effect while contacting the bat. If you time it properly with a good Kashmir Willow bat, it will do wonders for you. SG Kashmir Willow bats would be good enough for it. They will cost you around 1000 to 1500.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
hello i am a 11 year old child i have been playing tennis cricket for a long time but now my father is going to buy a duce cricket kit but i need your help i have suggested 8 great companies kookabura,addidas,reebok,sg,ss,gm,puma,spartan with which one should i go and i have played duce cricket 2 years but i have to choose which one english willow or kashmir willowand one more thing which size should i use i think 5 would be better.
Dear Gautam,
You are a growing child. Your height will increase for minimum 5-6 years. So if you buy a kit now, unfortunately it will be of no use for you within 3 years. So I would suggest you to buy a medium range kit. If possible, try to buy a slightly bigger kit than you. This will help you to play with it for a longer period of time. I guess SG and SS kits would be cost effective.
The same advice goes with the bat size. You should go for one size up (size 5) bat of Grade 3 or 4 English Willow. These bats will be lighter, cheaper and Durable.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
and yes my height is 4’9
good info…!
but wanna ask which company bat should i buy
Dear Kunal,
If your budget allows you then you should go for the best which is Kookaburra Kahuna.
Kookaburra Kahuna has a graphite backing to uplift its performance. Its banned in the test matches but still used in all other formats. Thus it has an unfair advantage over any other bat.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
thnku sir,, very well explained
Dear Nishant,
Thank you for the comment.
nice article i wanna ask I am a leather ball player and my height is 5’11” and i play with techniques so which bat should i prefer Adidas or grey nicolls ????
Dear Pratik,
According to your height, You should choose Short Handle English Willow cricket bat. Buy an oval shape handle bat to support your technique. It will improve your hold on the bat and provide more control over shots. Technical batsmen usually like to play drives more often. If thats your case, then you should look for lower middle bat. If you like to cut and pull more, then go for upper middle cricket bat.
You can buy any of them. Both the companies provide impeccable cricket bats. Buy your bat according to the feel of it.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
I have a SS cricket bat . i am confused that the bat is of leather or not.please tell me about it . my bat name is SS 281.
Dear Jayesh,
Do a ping test with your bat. Take a leather ball and try to hit it with your bat like you used to do it in your childhood. You can watch videos about it for reference. If your bat provides a nice and solid ping, its a leather ball bat, otherwise its just a tennis bat. Good Luck.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
hello. I m starting to cricket in season
So can u tell me which bat to starting in prectish
Nd my hight 6 ft so can u tell me bat leanth mr admin
Dear Aashu,
For practice you should use Kashmir Willow bats due to their low cost. If you can afford English Willow bats for practice, You should go for Grade 2 English Willow bat.
According to the height, You should go for the Long Blade.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
nice information i will choose gray nicolls or ss
Dear Pranav,
Both are equally good, choose your bat according to the feel.
To know more about Bats, read my post http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
Thank you for the comment.
my height is about 6 feet i am a lether ball player i heard that seasoned bats will be better so can you suggest me some bats brand
Dear Kalyan,
Willow should be naturally seasoned, which gives optimum level of moisture in Willow.
The bat manufacturers carefully select the clefts they want. Then they wax it on each end. It prevents the loss of any water moisture and splitting. Then these clefts are placed in drying rooms. After drying for 6 months, the clefts are removed from the rooms. Then the clefts reaches the required moisture levels.
To know more about Bats and its brands, read my posts
http://cricvision.com/top-10-best-cricket-bats-world/
http://cricvision.com/cricket-bat-the-complete-guide/
Thank you for the comment.
You have incredible indepth knowledge of the Cricket bats. Great job. I was trying to buy a good starter Cricket bat for my 9 year old nephew and started looking around on the net. Your article helped a lot.
Thanks,
Dear Ravi,
I am happy that my article helped you for such a lovely cause. Do follow my other posts for more interesting information regarding the game of Cricket & its accessories.
Thank you for the comment.
Mr Admin I want to buy a cricket bat I am a stroke maker and my height is 5 “9 so can you suggest me any cricket bat.My budget is upto rupees 31,000
i liked the information
im a 13 year old and my height is 5 feet i want to start my career with a nice bat i like medium handle and medium weight can please tell me a bat which is suitable for me my budget is 2000-3000rs please tell me
Hi, how is SS Magnum english willow bats. I have checked many websites and its costing around 2000 for a Short Handle bat. My height is around 5’9. Should i buy it and how is the bat in performance, could u plz let me know. Thanks.
Hello sir,
I buy ss magnum kashmir willow isn’t a good grain grade bat
Very nice articals
Hi, I was wondering what bat I should buy.Currently I have a size 6 GM icon and I’m roughly 5’2/3 and I’m looking to stay on a size 6 bat.I am looking for a lighter bat as I find my icon to heavy so I find it very difficult to play my shots .I have been playing for 6 years and I was just wondering what you think would suite me?
Hello, I am 13 and my height is 4 ’11 please tell me which size bat should i use ?
Hi Admin,
Your artical really impressive…
I play League tournaments with Hard Tennis Ball outside India. My Height is 5.6 and weight 64Kgs, Initially I rotate strike for few overs and then I prefer hard hitting in slog overs… Can you suggest me which Bat / Brand I should buy… Please provide couple of options minimum…
Thx
I play with a leather ball.so i want to buy kokabura kahuna.Has it is best decision for me?Has any kokabura bat under 2000?suggest me.
I am a hard tennis Ball player I play more on half side I am very weak in leg side play.any ball on half side I don’t leave.I am a hard hitter on half side I hit even huge Sixer’s on half side and long on/off.these days I am using heaver bats which is effecting my play.so can u plz recommend me a bat with brand model n company name of the bat u recommend. I am 5.9ht
for that I recommend you to play Reebok brand bats.Because they are light in weight and you can hit huge sixes after building a punch in it…
Very useful informations just loved it….Thanks for posting this #Cricvision
Thanks For Give This Good And Very Important Information For Me.. And Sir I Also Request U plz give me one onother information.. How i choose bat only for tennis ball..
You stated that almost every bat looks the same which makes it even tougher. Selection of a wrong size/ weight bat will reduce your level of performance. My son came home from school and asked if he could join his school’s new cricket club. Are there certain types of cricket bats that work better for children? Finding a reputable sporting goods store that has cricket equipment might be a good idea.
Very nice analysis and information it is most useful
Please explain more about grain
Can i choose robinson bat to play in tournaments .with 6 grain
I want join cricket club it is very good imformation for buy cricket bat thank u very much
The information was very helpful to me. I came to known the brands , how to select the size, the quality , the weight of the bat .
Sunday Strikers . M-9372471068.
Amit .
Thank You..
How can I differentiate a leather cricket bat and a tennis cricket bat.
can you tell me why bat having three strips/lines on his handle
I have brought a Slazenger bat …I saw two lines on the handle after i removed the sticker …does that mean it is a cambidze bat?? Do duce bats have 3 lines on its handle????? Please help me
You need to get it checked from the place you purchased them.
There shouldn’t be any kind of wierd lines.