Sweep Shot

Intermediatebatting

Relaxed, ready to move forward.

Get down low and sweep the ball from outside off to behind square on the leg side. The spin bowler's nightmare.

Key points

•Big stride forward
•Get down low on the front knee
•Swing the bat horizontally
•Head stays over the ball

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 sweep is the batter's primary weapon against spin bowling. It takes the spinner's main weapon — turn — out of the equation by hitting the ball before it can deviate. Stride forward with a big step, then drop your front knee toward the ground. The bat swings horizontally, meeting the ball in front of the front pad and redirecting it behind square on the leg side. Your head must stay over the ball throughout — if your head falls away, you lose control. The sweep is a pre-meditated shot: decide to play it before the ball is bowled, commit fully, and don't change your mind mid-shot.

Fun Fact

Kevin Pietersen invented the 'switch hit' — a reverse sweep where the batter changes from right-handed to left-handed mid-delivery. It was so controversial that the ICC had to hold a special meeting to decide whether it should be legal. They ruled it was!

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.