Top 10 most innovative batsmen among active cricketers

The classic shots by batsmen have fetched them a great fan base over time.

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AB de Villiers
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AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: Twitter)

‘Innovation!’ It is the word which has created a lot of buzz in the modern era. With the advent of T20 cricket, playing against the line of the ball is no longer a crime. In fact, if executed properly it is appreciated with a sense of awe. The batsmen of the modern era are adroit and have adopted unconventional methods to score runs today.

The reverse sweep, the ramp shot, and the helicopter shot are some of the outrageous shots that make the audience crave for more. In fact, these shots have endeared these batsmen to the fans of the game today.  In this article, let us take a look at the top 10 most innovative batsmen in world cricket today.

Most innovative batsmen of modern day cricket

10.Steve Smith

Steve Smith
                            Steve Smith. (Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images)

He shuffles across his stumps in an awkward manner. He is extremely fidgety at the crease. But, he can rightfully stake claim to be the unorthodox batting maestro of the modern era. Steve Smith has taken several bowling attacks to the cleaners, and has emerged as the backbone of the Australian batting line up.

Smith averages an unreal 62.84 in Test cricket, the highest for a batsman who has played a minimum of 30 innings after the incomparable Don Bradman. In ODI cricket too, Smith has scored over 4000 runs at an average of 43.35. His shots are outrageous, but are executed in near flawless manner.

He can execute the reverse sweep to great effect, his flick shot cannot be found in any coaching manual, and his extravagant drives over cover that can clear the boundary is sure to leave your mouth open in a sense of bewildered amazement. Smith was in superb form in the recently concluded ODI series against India where he smashed two consecutive ODI hundreds to help his side to a series win against the visitors.

9.Tim Seifert

Tim Seifert
                                 Tim Seifert. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Blake Coburn had the ball in his hand. He delivered the ball on leg stump, in a bid to outfox the batsman. But, the batsman changed his position in a flash, unfurled the reverse sweep, and a ball that was pitched outside leg stump disappeared over the head of backward point for six. Well, that was some Innovation!

If you had seen the highlights of Tim Seifert’s blazing 74 off just 36 deliveries for the Northern Knights against the Canterbury side, then you would understand why his name figures in the list. He is a man who can strike the ball to any part of the ground with ease, and he does so with a sense of dexterity that makes him such a dangerous batsman to bowl to.

The right hander has also played 27 T20I’s for New Zealand and scored 492 runs. But what is vital here is the fact that he has scored his runs at a strike rate of almost 140. Siefert is a man on whom you can bet you money on, if you want to see an exhibition of unconventional ball striking.

8.Faf Du Plessis

 Faf du Plessis (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

He is a complete package. He can pay the ‘typical’ Test match innings when his side needs an anchor, and at the same time, can unfurl a flurry of attacking shots at will, if the team requires him to do so. Faf Du Plessis is the third highest run scorer for South Africa in T20Is, and has scored 1528 runs at an impressive average of 35.53. He has also scored close to 4000 runs in Tests, including 9 hundreds and 21 fifties.

He has an unconventionally high back lift, and has in his arsenal a range of shots that can floor the opposition. Du Plessis can play the ‘ramp’ shot with authority, where he goes down on one knee and cheekily nudges the ball past fine leg, and is equally adept at pummeling the ball over extra cover for six.

Du Plessis has also recorded the second highest individual score for South Africa in ODI history, when he plundered a murderous 185 against Sri Lanka in the year 2017. The right hander has also played 84 matches in the IPL, and scored 2302 runs.

7.Colin Munro

Colin Munro
Colin Munro. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

He holds the record for scoring the fastest fifty for New Zealand in T20I’s. He also stands fourth in the list of batsmen with the most runs for New Zealand in T20Is. And most importantly, he has scored all his runs at a strike rate that is almost touching 160(156.44). Colin Munro can pulverize any bowling attack and clear any boundary on his day.

He can play the ‘pick up’ shot off his legs with effortless poise, and can create doubts in the minds of the bowler. Munro is also adept at playing the sweep shot, and is gifted with supreme hand eye coordination that makes him a very tough batsman to bowl to.

Munro continues to remain an important asset for New Zealand at the top of the order, especially in T20 cricket. In fact, the limited overs specialist Munro is the first player to score three centuries in T20Is after maintaining a splendid strike rate.

6.Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo Source: Twitter)

He can shift smoothly between the conventional and unconventional. One will see him play a near flawless cover drive, and at the same time, see him play a ‘ramp’ shot over the keeper’s head or watch him unleash the sweep shot from his arsenal. Suryakumar Yadav has emerged as a pivotal part of the Mumbai Indians’ batting line up.

The right hander was in red-hot form in the 2020 edition of the tournament, and finished with 480 runs at an average of 40.00. Yadav also scored 4 half centuries in the 13th IPL edition. In the recently concluded IPL season, Yadav was in the news for an outrageous shot off the bowling of Jofra Archer. After being pinged on the helmet by a bouncer from Archer, Yadav played a reverse scoop over the keeper’s head for a boundary.

Even rival skipper Steve Smith acknowledged the brilliance from the Mumbai batsman with a nod of the head. Yadav is yet to make his debut for India, and will once again be seen in action in the 2021 IPL edition donning the blues for the Mumbai Indians side.

5.Rishabh Pant

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – JULY 02: Rishabh Pant of India plays a shot as Mushfiqur Rahim of Bangladhes looks on during the Group Stage match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between Bangladesh and India at Edgbaston on July 02, 2019 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Christopher Lee-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)

He can strike the ball miles into the crowd. He can rattle any opposition when he is in his element. Rishabh Pant is a man who is blessed with immense potential. The left hander has played 25 innings in T20I cricket and scored 410 runs at an average of 20.5. In IPL cricket, the left hander has scored 2079 runs at an impressive average of 35.24, and at an imposing strike rate of 151.97.

If you ever wanted to see an Indian batsman putting on an exhibition of unorthodox innovative batsman ship, look no further than the rampaging 78* off just 27 deliveries that the left hander scored against the Mumbai Indians in the year 2019. Pick up shots through the leg side, one handed sixes that sailed into the crowd and a ‘MS Dhoni’ like helicopter shot that whistled past the square leg fielder’s head, adorned his knock.

Pant was in decent form during the 2020 edition of the IPL, where he scored 343 runs at an average of 31.18. He is currently with the Indian squad which will face Australia for the upcoming Test series starting from December 17 in Adelaide.

4.Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan England
Eoin Morgan of England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB)

You will hardly find him displaying any emotion on the field. He is truly England’s ‘Mr. Cool’, but when he has a willow in hand, he is pretty hot to handle. The only England batsman to have scored over 2000 runs in T20I’s, Eoin Morgan is a man who can rip apart any opposition. The left hander has also scored over 100 sixes in T20Is, and is also the leading run scorer for England in ODI cricket.

Morgan is strong on either side of the wicket. He is blessed with supreme hand eye coordination, and it is this facet of his game that allows him to clear boundaries at will. Morgan also has a tinge of innovation that he sprinkles onto his game as well. An evidence of his unorthodox batting genius was on view during the 2010 T20 World Cup.

Ravi Rampaul ran in and delivered a ball on off stump at 135.3 kmph. In a flash, Morgan played a reverse scoop that went over short third man into the boundary. It was an outrageous shot and needless to say, the bowler was stunned. And, so was the crowd in attendance as well.

3. Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

At the top of the order, Jos Buttler is an asset for any T20 side that he plays. The right hander is the third highest run scorer for England in T20Is, and has scored 1551 runs at an average of 29.26. But what makes him such a dangerous batsman is the fact that he scores his runs at a strike rate of 140.36. Even in the ODI format, Buttler has a strike rate of 119.05, and has scored almost 4000 runs as well.

Butler is a master of the ramp shot, and has played it on numerous occasions, both for England as well as for the Rajasthan side during the IPL. What makes the shot so effective is the fact that he can play the scoop shot both to a ball that is pitched fuller as well as to a ball that is pitched short. During the 2017 Champions Trophy, Trent boult bowled a bouncer to Buttler. The right hander moved outside the off stump, and just scooped a delivery that was delivered at 143kmph for six. It was a shot of a man who had supreme confidence in his ability.

Buttler was last seen in action during the third T20I against South Africa. Opening the batting, the right hander scored an unbeaten 67 off just 46 balls to help England chase down a daunting target of 191 runs with 9 wickets to spare.

2.Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

If you have seen a random highlights package of Glenn Maxwell, especially in T20 cricket, you would almost be forced to believe that he is ambidextrous with the willow. Not only can Maxwell send shivers down the bowler’s spine by playing audacious shots ‘right handed’, he can also switch to being ‘left handed’ with ease and smash the ball into the stands.

Such is Maxwell’s prowess, that it is impossible to set a field to him when he is on the rampage. Even in the recently concluded ODI series against India, Maxwell unleashed a massive switch hit that went into the crowd off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav. The right hander is the third highest run scorer for Australia in T20I’s, and has amassed 1633 runs for his country at a strike rate of close to 160(158.23).

In the IPL, Maxwell has scored 1505 runs at an average of 22.13 and at a strike rate of 154.68. He was last seen in action during the second T20I against India at Sydney where he scored a 13 ball 22. His completed turnaround from IPL 2020 is a thing to watch out for.

1.AB de Villiers

South Africa v West Indies - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup
AB de Villiers (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

There is literally no shot that this man cannot play, and he has given the word ‘innovation’ a different meaning with his exploits with the willow in the last decade and a half. Fondly called as ‘Mr.360’, Ab De Villiers is a nightmare for any bowler, irrespective of the format. He can play a one handed pull shot, like he did against Mohammad Shami during the IPL, he can expose all his stumps, move to the off side and clobber the bowler through the leg side, he can play the reverse sweep to both a pacer and a spinner, can play the ramp shot and even play the switch hit to perfection as well.

De Villiers is a batting legend, and has accumulated a glittering array of numbers that qualifies him as an all-time batting great. The South African has scored 8765 runs in Test cricket, at an average of 50.66, including 22 centuries and 46 fifties. The batting maestro is also only the second South African batsman after Jacques Kallis to have scored over 9000 ODI runs. He is also the second highest century maker for the Proteas in ODI cricket.

De Villiers is also a behemoth in the IPL, and is the sixth highest run scorer in the history of the league. The right hander has scored 4849 runs in the IPL, and averages in excess of 40, and has scored his runs at a stunning strike rate of 151.91.

Note: All the stats have been taken from Cricinfo, Cricbuzz, Howstat cricket and iplt20.com and have been updated as on 6th December 2020

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