How To Perfect Your Backlift in Cricket

 There are many aspects of cricket batsman technique you can improve upon over the course of your career. You can improve your batting technique by improving your trigger movements, your stance, and how you hold the bat. I have covered most of these basics here.

You may hear commentators or coaches refer to 'backlift' when discussing your game or analyzing the performance of other players. Many players enjoy experimenting with batting techniques and making changes as they get more experience. This post will explain what a backlift is and why it is important. Let's start with the important question.

What's a backlift for cricket?

In cricket, the term "backlift" refers to the height at which the batsman raises his bat before hitting the ball. Some batsmen have a high backlift, the toe of their bat reaching well above the head, while others have a low backlift, the toe barely touching the shoulders.

Not to be forgotten, a batsman's backlift is sometimes called their 'backswing'. If you hear coaches or commentators using these terms, it is likely that they are referring to the exact same thing!

These pictures will help you understand the backlift concept better.

Why is the Backlift so Important?

You may now be familiar with the backlift and wonder how it affects a batter's technique. Fear not, I have all the answers. According to me, there are three main reasons why the backlift is so important for batsmen. These are the reasons:

• It allows them to generate power
• This helps a batsman generate rhythm
• Different backlifts are available to help batsmen deal with different conditions.
• Let's take a closer look at each one and see how the backlift can help with them all.

How can a backlift help a batsman generate power?

This is why I believe the backlift is essential to any batting technique. It helps us get the most power into our shots. The more power a player can apply to a shot, the greater the player's backlift. This is not the only factor that affects how strong a batsman hits a cricket ball, but it certainly plays a role!

Imagine playing a shot with your bat behind you and not lifting it up. This is possible if you have both a bat or a ball. You can see that it is impossible to hit the ball with the same power as usual if you don't have any backswing. A slightly different example would be to try and hit the golf ball as far you can. To achieve this, you will need to lift the club behind you (backlift) and then accelerate down the swing to make contact with it. It would be difficult to hit the golf ball as far as possible if the club was not raised behind you.

A large backlift gives a batsman a long distance to swing the bat down in order make contact with the ball. They will have more power if they can accelerate their downswing and make contact with the ball faster.

How does a backlift help with batting rhythm?

Many players believe that batting is about finding a good rhythm at home. 

It is crucial to ensure that your trigger movements occur at the right moment and that your front foot moves towards it early enough. This includes the backlift!

You should think about this: If your backlift is too soon, you will be holding the bat high and waiting for it to fall. 

A batsman does not want to have to stop at the top of his backlift for too long. Imagine the reverse. You won't have enough time to swing the bat downwards and contact the ball if your backlift occurs too late.

 This can lead to a terrible tangle that will cause you to have to rush your movements.

Backlifts that are repeatable, meaning that they don't change from one ball to the next, and that works well with your feet' movements is the best. 

You will need to find a backlift that suits you and make you feel comfortable. After you find a process you like, practice it for hours until it becomes ingrained in your muscle memory.

Also, Check Broadcast your cricket match Like an international match

How does a backlift help a player cope with different conditions?

Certain conditions are better for certain types of backlifts. Professional players have made subtle adjustments to their backlift height over the years to help them succeed in difficult batting conditions.

High backlifts work well on hard, bouncy pitches such as those you will see in Australia or South Africa. 

These countries will see you play on your back foot more often than in other countries. A backlift can help you get your hands and bat high enough to hit the ball. 

This is useful for playing hook, cut, and pull shots on these types of surfaces.

Low backlifts can be a good choice for countries with lower ball bounces, such as Sri Lanka or Pakistan. 

This will allow batsmen to reach the ball more easily and help them get their hands on the ball. 

Also, I remember Michael Atherton changing to a lower backlift against great bowlers such as Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. 

They were both excellent reverse-swingers of the ball and a lot of yorkers. Overly high backlifts against bowlers who bowl a lot of yorkers are not ideal as the bat must travel a long distance to get onto the ball.

Is it important to consider the direction of a backlift?

You'll be familiar with the many batting techniques available in cricket. If you read this post, you will also learn that there are different levels of backlift. 

But, aside from the differences in height, backlifts of batsmen can also point in other directions. Is this true? 

What is the right way to do it? Let's take a look at the following.

The conventional backlift is a position where the toe points between the wicket-keeper (or first/second slip) in cricket. 

Many coaches and professionals consider this to be technically correct because it allows for the bat to move relatively straight during the downswing. This is a great way to hit straight balls.

There are many batsmen who have backlifts that point in completely different directions. Steve Smith is an example. 

His backlift is incredibly unconventional and he actually points in the direction of the gully player, rather than the conventional direction I described above. 

Steve Smith, one of the most successful test batsmen today, is living proof that a 'conventional' technique does not have to be used in order for you to achieve the highest levels. 

Marnus Labuschagne's backlift is also in the same direction. You can see it below.