‘A BIT LIKE BASEBALL’

The IPL has also seen a lot of cheeky shots, such as the scoop shot and reverse sweep, off fast bowlers. Their success rate is directly proportional to the number of hours batsmen spend practising them in the nets. “I can tell you all guys spend great time practising these strokes before they attempt it in matches. And not only on those shots, at the same time they work hard on their fundamentals as well because that’s where it all comes from,” says Gilchrist

But Gilchrist also suggests that T20 cricket is a bit like baseball, with the batsmen given a licence to swing the bat freely. “It’s funny but some of the biggest hits have all been delivered with the same stroke, with the bat in a baseball-like position,” he says.

Then again, there is a strong Indian connection to big-hitting. With Indian bat manufacturers giving the unique combination of more wood on the meat of the bat and balancing it to shave off the extra weight, hitting sixes was never easier.