Why has there been an increase in the number of batsmen getting hit in recent times?

[MenInG]

Has there been an increase in the number of batsmen getting hit in recent times?

I don't think it's because of a false sense of security by wearing helmets - although Fakhar Zaman may disagree!

I don't think it's because batsmen are taking more risks

I don't think bowlers have become more venomous

I think it's all of the above:

There seems to be a dearth of genuine fast bowlers now, along with deader pitches leading to batsmen losing the ability to play bouncers with proper technique.

So they take more risks, thinking they are protected and when there is a fast bowler who can bowl above 85 mph, the batters have no clue how to play them.

Would you agree with this?

 

[Titan24]

I think with ODI cricket and especially T20 cricket which is played quite a lot, the natural instincts and subconscious minds of batsmen have formed different priorities which can lead to confusion in test matches on occasions thus effecting the overall technique and playing the short balls as well.

 

[Joseph Gomes]

T20 is killing batting technique. You can at most fast 8 bouncers in 1 match from a fast bowler (2 bouncer per over for 4 overs). That's if the bowler even bowls the bouncers. Thus batsmen don't have to fear a barrage of bouncers for hours. Most don't anticipate it coming even.

 

[sweep_shot]

I think batsmen in modern times do not have great batting techniques like before.

It is this reason why batsmen are getting hit more.

I blame T20 for this mess.

 

[gibsyhesperis]

Techniques have changed -- not necessarily got worse, just changed.
The advent of helmets has changed things immeasurably.
Batsmen nowadays are inherently more attacking, come at the bowling more but also know they have protection

 

[Cricketrenew]

Batsman take their eyes off the ball and hope for the best.
Swaying and hooking properly have been fading arts.
I don't feel the ball is coming down any faster then in the past, just poorer technique from batters?

 

[Diffusion]

More of them are hooking and pulling. Their first instinct is now to stand tall and get over the ball, rather than duck. You're going to get hit then if you miss the ball or try to duck out of the shot too late.

 

[Joseph Gomes]

Batsman take their eyes off the ball and hope for the best.
Swaying and hooking properly have been fading arts.
I don't feel the ball is coming down any faster then in the past, just poorer technique from batters?

More of them are hooking and pulling. Their first instinct is now to stand tall and get over the ball, rather than duck. You're going to get hit then if you miss the ball or try to duck out of the shot too late.

Are they hooking or not? Two completely opposite answers.

 

[Major]

Bouncers were being bowled before and batsmen were getting hit in the face in the past aswell


I think after the sean abbot-philip hughe incident, people have now started to pay more attention to such incidents.

Peter siddlr once hit umar akmal on the head back in 2010 i think.


Ricky pontong was batting without a helmet once and sami hit a bouncer. Him him in the jaw.
Sami didnt even care

Srinath hit ponting aswell and as he weny to check up onhim ponting shouted back at him ), poor srinath had to walk back like a child who got scolded.

But i think in the past it got ignored but the philip hughe case reminded that death is possible with a bounce. Hence when a batsmen goes down half of team comes up tp check on the batsmen.
And whenever a batsmen goes down the first thing that comes up in our mind is the philip hugh event.

 

[MenInG]

I feel that new batsmen are being taught to be fearless - they are taking undue risks.

 

[Danyaalr01]

There are a few reasons. The main one is technique. I read an article by Ian Chappell a couple of months back and he said that batsman these days don't know how to hook the ball properly. You are supposed to get your head away from the ball. You either get to the leg side of it and pull it infront of square or you go back and across and hook it backward of square. This was done so that if you miss it, you don't get hit on the face. Nowadays the batsmen get their head in the line of the ball and if they miss it or are late on it, then they get hit on the head.

This is happening because of the stance of modern day batsmen. They are taught to lean on the front foot with about 70-80% of your weight on your front foot. This means the batsman has less time to get back and is rushed. If you watch a cricket match on tv, no matter who the bowler is, the batsmen always seem to be rushed when attempting a hook.

The reason batsmen are leaning on their front foot is because of helmets, and the helmets continue to improve. Really the weight of batsman should be balanced equally on both feet, this also makes it easier to stretch the front leg out quicker to a full and wide delivery. If you look at Smith, he doesn't lean on his front foot, which makes it easier to play the short ball. The only reason he got hit was because of uneven bounce.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

On average, bowlers are bowling faster than they have in a long time. Sure there is no Lee or Akhtar but in the 1999 world cup, the fastest ball was 96 mph by Akhtar and Srinath bowled 149 but then after that it was all 91 mph or below. Even Donald did not clock very high . In 2019, Starc , wood and archer all hit 96 mph plenty of bowlers clocked 90mph and above or came close to it. Even bhuvi and fizz clocked 145 and 143 respectively. Simply put, there are more bowlers capable of hitting batsmen than before .

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the problem globally batsmanship is diminishing because selectors are ttrying to turn hitters into batsman for entertainment. Techniques now mimic baseball hitters... whereas batsman sum up conditions and are able to adapt...... Yes that word ADAPT!!!!!</p>— michael carberry (@carbs646) <a href="https://twitter.com/carbs646/status/1164868379645304833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[jnaveen1980]

SPeed is not the only reason. Sometimes lack of speed can also be a contributory factor. Lack of bounce can sometimes catch you off guard when you try to duck.I remember Shodat Hossain his Dravid flush on his head by a 128 k bouncer. He was early in to the shot. Even yesterday Kohligot hit on his forearm when he was early into the shot.

 

[MenInG]

Ian Botham : "May as well use tennis balls" if play will be stopped for concussion tests

Sir jee talking a little too much now but maybe has a point.

The delays are a little too much at times - surely some sort of commonsense approach can be taken to this? Thoughts?

 

[MenInG]

Another one hits Marnus! and play stops and he is up again.

 

[Abdullah719]

Sir jee talking a little too much now but maybe has a point.

The delays are a little too much at times - surely some sort of commonsense approach can be taken to this? Thoughts?

There shouldn't be any compromise on players' safety.

 

[MenInG]

One more - Joe Denly! pretty horrific all this.

 

[Abdullah719]

Stokes hit by Hazlewood.

 

[irfan]

noticed that even the top batsman these days seem to take their eye of the ball when hooking

 

[MenInG]

Stokes hit by Hazlewood.

View attachment 94137

View attachment 94138

Another picture of same

 

[MenInG]

Add Darren Bravo to that list!

Hit by Bumrah and late concussion signs so off the field.

 

[ishtiaq_ctg]

Batsman always got hit in the head.This is a part of a game. Even dravid with a perfect technique got hit in the head.aggressive approach of the modern day batsmen also contribute to being hit on the head

 

[SakunaPataka]

Modern day fast bowlers are far more lethal than we are willing to give them credit for

 

[MenInG]

Andre Russell, the West Indies all-rounder, was stretchered off during the Caribbean Premier League 2019 game on Thursday, 12 September, after being hit by the ball on his helmet. His team has since confirmed that scans are clear.

Russell, playing for Jamaica Tallawahs, was struck by a short ball from St Lucia Zouks' Hardus Viljoen in the 14th over of the game. Facing his third ball of the day and yet to open his account, Russell was cramped for space and missed a pull shot.

The ball instead hit him near his right ear. He immediately fell to the ground and was surrounded by concerned fielders.

When the medical team arrived, he looked groggy but was able to stand. However, having taken a few steps in an attempt to walk off the field, he stopped. A stretcher was brought in and he was carried off the field.

Officials later revealed that Russell had been taken to the hospital for a scan. And once given the all clear, he went back to the team hotel to rest and recover. His availability for Saturday's game against Trinbago Knight Riders is as yet unclear.

Such injuries are being taken more and more seriously, with international cricket now allowing for concussion substitutes. Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) and Jermaine Blackwood (West Indies) have both featured in Test matches in this capacity after Steve Smith and Darren Bravo, respectively, were ruled out following blows to the head.

The CPL match itself was a high-scoring one. Jamaica posted 170/5, although at 125/3 in the 13th over, they might have hoped for more. In response, Andrew Fletcher and Rahkeem Cornwall got off to a flying start.

They had 79 at the end of the six-over Powerplay, and reached 111 in 8.3 overs before the first wicket fell. Cornwall, who had been the main aggressor, was bowled for 75 off 30 balls, with eight sixes.

Amid a middle-order stutter, Fletcher held on to remain unbeaten on 47 off 36 balls to complete a five-wicket win with 20 balls to spare.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1341788

 

[Robert]

There are a few reasons. The main one is technique. I read an article by Ian Chappell a couple of months back and he said that batsman these days don't know how to hook the ball properly. You are supposed to get your head away from the ball. You either get to the leg side of it and pull it infront of square or you go back and across and hook it backward of square. This was done so that if you miss it, you don't get hit on the face. Nowadays the batsmen get their head in the line of the ball and if they miss it or are late on it, then they get hit on the head.

This is happening because of the stance of modern day batsmen. They are taught to lean on the front foot with about 70-80% of your weight on your front foot. This means the batsman has less time to get back and is rushed. If you watch a cricket match on tv, no matter who the bowler is, the batsmen always seem to be rushed when attempting a hook.

The reason batsmen are leaning on their front foot is because of helmets, and the helmets continue to improve. Really the weight of batsman should be balanced equally on both feet, this also makes it easier to stretch the front leg out quicker to a full and wide delivery. If you look at Smith, he doesn't lean on his front foot, which makes it easier to play the short ball. The only reason he got hit was because of uneven bounce.

Good enough for me. If Greg Chappell who gad a superb record against WI says it I believe it.

 

[Robert]

Good enough for me. If Greg Chappell who gad a superb record against WI says it I believe it.

Or Ian even.