A clever idea to address Pakistan's perennial dot ball issues

[Sher Khan]

Be it the emerging Asia Cup, the U 19 WC, or the national team itself we are seeing that Pakistani batsmen have serious issues rotating the strike and often rely on dot balls and boundaries.

In my view, the PCB should be creative and introduce bonus points for domestic teams on the basis of their batting sides dot ball percentave
For example, if kpk were to play central punjab and central punjab won the match, but KPK had a lower dot ball percentage, then cpj should be awarded 1 point instead of 2 for having a higher dot ball percentage.

 

[Danyaalr01]

Be it the emerging Asia Cup, the U 19 WC, or the national team itself we are seeing that Pakistani batsmen have serious issues rotating the strike and often rely on dot balls and boundaries.

In my view, the PCB should be creative and introduce bonus points for domestic teams on the basis of their batting sides dot ball percentave
For example, if kpk were to play central punjab and central punjab won the match, but KPK had a lower dot ball percentage, then cpj should be awarded 1 point instead of 2 for having a higher dot ball percentage.

They should have more team drills where it is open wicket and the coach just under arms a ball and the batsmen must tap it into a gap, and can't hit it hard, and must run. The fielders have to try and run them out. This is good for the batsmen and fieders as it helps the fielders stay on their toes and the batsmen slowly get better at finding gaps.

 

[Abdullah719]

Just need proper coaches, no gimmicks.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

The problem is timing. The players who can time the ball can take a single whenever they want to (example Virat Kohli).

Bonus idea could work.

 

[ZamanFan]

You can't expect wonders from the system when the national team players or so-called role models play for themselves than for the team.

Pakistani system has been rewarding selfishness of players holding back shots and blocking deliveries they easily hit for a boundary in domestic matches.

Minus Sarfaraz most of the players like Misbah, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Azhar Ali waste deliveries [play dits] to stay longer on the crease and deliberately slow down when nearing milestone.

 

[ihsandar]

instead of practice in the net, they should do in a open ground with some extra fielder,
then batsman should take 5 or 4 single from six ball.

 

[hitthestump]

You can't expect wonders from the system when the national team players or so-called role models play for themselves than for the team.

Pakistani system has been rewarding selfishness of players holding back shots and blocking deliveries they easily hit for a boundary in domestic matches.

Minus Sarfaraz most of the players like Misbah, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Azhar Ali waste deliveries [play dits] to stay longer on the crease and deliberately slow down when nearing milestone.

Good point. Just compare batting styles with the English or Indians and it's clear that our so called 'main' batsmen are risk averse. Some of it is selfishness, but we're also still feeling the aftermath of the Misbah ODI era where we were 40/3 every game.

 

[shah_1]

The dot ball virus in Pakistan cricket

It goes from senior team to junior team. What do they teach in NCA? It is either takhha(stop) or a boundary

 

[bala977]

This is one of those knee jerk, extreme reactions.

Whether you believe it or not, consuming balls is a prized batting skill. Mike Atherton is still remembered for his epic 500 ball 185 even today although it happened in 1995 - why? because he had to bat for like 10 hours with the tail to save a test match and save he did - it is allright to focus on strike rate etc., but the more important skill is to play according to the match situation.

Playing many dot balls in a 300+ chase is not automatically wrong - Rohit Sharma for example consumes many dot balls at the start but then makes up for it later on ... I'd rather he plays those dot balls at the start as there is a better chance of him exploding later and finishing with a 100+ score, rather than going berserk at the start and finish with 20s and 30s with a 150+ strike rate.

 

[Saj]

Just look for at least a single off every ball.

Basic coaching, wrist work, play the ball with soft hands, place the ball, work the fielders.

It's not that complicated.

 

[vicky11]

Do a pilot test with a tournament by having a max cap of two runs for all boundaries and sixers, so naturally each and every run would be earned through running and hence the dot ball percentage will come down ........

 

[Ryw]

They should have more team drills where it is open wicket and the coach just under arms a ball and the batsmen must tap it into a gap, and can't hit it hard, and must run. The fielders have to try and run them out. This is good for the batsmen and fieders as it helps the fielders stay on their toes and the batsmen slowly get better at finding gaps.

THISS is the best so far, if a poster on pp came up with this drill, what are our coaches being paid for

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Do a pilot test with a tournament by having a max cap of two runs for all boundaries and sixers, so naturally each and every run would be earned through running and hence the dot ball percentage will come down ........

This would be quite interesting. I can potentially see a new format being developed around this to balance out T20 culture. Would give a test match feel to a limited overs game. Huh.

 

[Justcrazy]

Just need proper coaches, no gimmicks.

Yes , that is the real solution.
Pakistan need competent modern coaches for lower levels as well as National Team.

 

[iniqbal223]

Make boundaries bigger.. Let everyone run . This will help in long term :

1) Batsman will know if they have to hit the boundary they really have to time well with power. No inside edges, outside edges, mishits will reward them with boundaries
2) Batsman will go for singles to accumulate runs
3) Fielders too have to cover more ground for stopping runs
4) More possibility of better fitness, if they run more

 

[iniqbal223]

This is for Domestic , where every one will run more. Then players themselves realize they lack fitness to even score 20 runs, and will help remove hack bating culture (includes mishits, inside edges, outside edges, dropped catches, lazy fielding, top edge 6's) we now have for almost 15 years.

1) Batsmen will know if they have to survive and claim they are scoring runs at domestic. They need to score singles, doubles or even in some cases triples, and now since, boundaries are bigger, they have to run hard. This bring fielders in to action. More game time to fielders to remain alert, and become active part of he game.

2) We will get genuine power hitters not like Asif Alis. Power hitting will also involve good timing
3) the only disadvantage is for audience . But considering , very few people are interested in watching teams play domestic games. This is an idea worth trying..

 

[Ball Blazer]

too many dot balls already for Farhan as Pakistan take on India in Asia Cup 2025 final

barely rotating strike

 

[hassan918]

14 dot balls for Pakistan in the powerplay in this Final.

 

[Savak]

The amount of dot balls you end up playing is a result of your technique and ability to play in all areas of the ground ie 360 stroke play