5 most innovative batting shots in cricket history

Cricket has evolved over the years. It is evident from the way the game's rules and duration have evolved. This shift has resulted in numerous creative tactics, but it has also made the batters rethink old ideas and perform unique shots that were before unimaginable. Throughout its history, cricket has experienced significant transformations, moving from Test cricket to 60-over ODIs, 50-overs, and now the new T20 format. Every ten years brings a new set of rules, and as we all know, technology is a major factor in the current game of cricket. 

The way that cricket is played has also evolved substantially. Professional cricket players no longer play the game according to its conventional rules. They are now bowling, fielding, and hitting differently. With Lasith Malinga's unusual bowling style and MS Dhoni's helicopter shot, cricket players are reinventing the meaning of this age-old sport. The secret to success in any line of work is innovation. 

Batters had to adhere to their traditional cricketing roots, while bowlers always had a wide repertoire of variations under their belts. But as time went on, even the hitters began to adjust to the unusual way that cricket shots were made. In the article we will be looking around the top most unique shots in cricketing fraternity. 

Here are the top 5 unique shots in cricket

5. Switch-Hit 

Kevin Pietersen, played the shot in 2006, possibly around the time that the T20I cricket match was revealed. He played the shot against Muttiah Muralitharan. In the shot the stance completely from right handed to left handed or vice versa in a fraction of a second to hammer the ball into the boundary. Glenn Maxwell and David Warner, are among others who plays these kind of shots and the former has been a master of playing the shot.  

4. SUPLA- Shot 

Suryakumar Yadav has invented the Supla shot. He has been the master of this shot. The No.1 T20I batter explained that the shot had its origin in tennis-ball cricket. The ball hit directly behind the wicket keeper when the shot is aimed directly at your head is referred to as a shot. It resembles falling behind and has been named as 'Supla'. He has been one of the finest player of this shot and has scored many runs and his first T20I runs came from the very same shot against England. 

3. Dil-scoop 

The Dil-scoop is named after former Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan. During his illustrious cricket career, the Sri Lankan batter was renowned to play this unconventional shot. To play the Dil-scoop shot, take a nice length delivery on one knee and flick the ball over the head past the wicketkeeper, or as the name says, "scoop" it. This shot is one that Dilshan mastered and frequently used in the T20 format during power-play overs. 

2. Upper-Cut 

Throughout his 24-year international career, Sachin Tendulkar is renowned for his unwavering drive. But in 2002, the master of hitting also created an uppercut shot to counter short-pitched pitches. A short ball pitched outside the off stump by the opponent bolwer tends to play the Upper Cut. When the third-man fielder is fielding inside the ring, batters frequently attempt this shot and it requires only timing and placement. 

1. Helicopter Shot 

MS Dhoni introduced the helicopter shot to the world. The helicopter shot is when the batter flicks the ball while playing a yorker or a full-length delivery, with the bat being circled overhead. The batter has to use his bottom hand to generate all the power for the shot. If a batter masters the shot, he/she can use it to convert difficult yorkers into boundaries. Hardik Pandya and Mohammad Shahzad can be seen playing the Helicopter shot every now and then.