Straight Drive

Beginnerbatting

Relaxed, balanced, eyes level.

Play the ball back past the bowler with a straight bat and full face. The purest shot in cricket.

Key points

•Head over the ball
•Full face of the bat
•Drive straight back past the bowler
•Balanced follow-through

Practice with Coach Rohan

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The straight drive is considered the purest shot in cricket because it requires perfect technique: head position, bat angle, and timing must all be spot on. The ball is full and on or around off stump. You stride forward, lead with your head, and present the full face of the bat. The swing follows the line of the ball straight back down the ground, past or beside the bowler. There is no angling or guiding — just a clean, straight bat meeting the ball under your eyes. The follow-through is smooth and controlled, finishing with the bat pointing toward where the ball went.

Fun Fact

Sir Don Bradman, the greatest batter in cricket history with a Test average of 99.94, said the straight drive was his favourite shot. He believed if you could play the straight drive well, every other shot would follow naturally.

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.