Ranking top 5 current batsmen with proper textbook shots

Cricket has evolved a lot over the years and so is the batting. However, before the advent of the T20 cricket and the subsequent trimmed formats, the onus was usually put on playing orthodox shots. Even the coaches used to stress on following the basics. Rather the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Ricky Ponting thrived in international cricket on the back of their proficiency to play text book shots.

And these legendary cricketers don’t need any introduction. No wonder watching Jos Buttler play the scoop shot or Ben Stokes’ switch hit which goes for a six makes it for a sensational viewing. But the joy of the ball hitting the middle of the bat after playing an exquisite front foot drive or a straight drive or a backfoot punch is only known to a certain technically perfect batsman.

Not that the batsmen playing innovative shots have no skills and one should credit them fully for mastering those shots. But to see any batsman play a soothing drive makes a fan feel at home and even in the 21st century, the cricketing world is fortunate to witness some of those players.

Here we rank top 5 current batsmen with their ability to play proper textbook shots:

5. Babar Azam

Five years ago on May 31, 2015, a 20-year-old kid named Babar Azam strode out to bat at number four for Pakistan against Zimbabwe and the rest is history. He scored an attractive and stroke-filled 54 off just 60 balls on his international debut and though it came against Zimbabwe (with all due respect to them) many termed him as the Pakistan’s version of Virat Kohli.

Fast forward to 2020 and Babar Azam is Pakistan’s T20I captain and has already played some of the memorable knocks in the country’s cricketing history. The way he takes his stance, Babar looks the technically most perfect batsman Pakistan has had in the last decade (again with all due respect to Pakistan legends).

Among all the shots he plays, Babar Azam’s cover drive is absolutely pleasing to the eyes. He turns beast whenever the bowlers offer him slender of a width. Babar seamlessly shifts all the weight on the backfoot and plays exquisite cut shot and back foot punches. In an era where the batsmen playing some outrageous strokes are preferred, Babar Azam’s batting comes a breath of fresh air and there should be no surprise if he ends up as one of the batting legends of the game.