From Helicopter to Straight Drive: Legendary Cricketers and Their Iconic Shots

Cricket is a beautiful game, and the extra peaches, such as delicate cricketing shots and outstanding bowling, are like the icing on the cake. There are some hallmark shots that will always be associated with a specific player, like as MS Dhoni’s Helicopter Shot or Virat Kohli’s Cover Drive. It’s because every top-level cricketer has their shots in their repertoire that is the definition of beauty. These amazing visceral shots capture our attention and make us want to look at those exact shots again and again.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Every individual has his own style, his own way of presenting himself on the field.” Then you’ll understand why cricket has so much to offer. Many players have worked hard to perfect a specific shot. So, we decided to compile a list of some of the world’s best cricketers and their signature shots.

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​Sachin Tendulkar (India): Straight Drive

Source: BCCI

Sachin Tendulkar, the ‘God of Cricket,’ mastered every stroke in the cricketing manual. But the straight drive was the shot he played better than almost anyone else. He hit his signature shot. He also used it against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final, which India won to end a 28-year drought for the ODI World Cup trophy.

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​Ricky Ponting (Australia): Pull Shot

Source: BCCI

‘Punter’ was unstoppable when he was on song. The pull-shot was his signature shot, which he had mastered. Ponting was well-known for his crushing short-pitched pitches. His hand-eye coordination was flawless. During the 2003 ODI World Cup final, he hit some memorable pull shots against India.

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​MS Dhoni (India): Helicopter Shot

Source: BCCI

Former India captain MS Dhoni mastered a shot that others have tried to mimic but have not been able to execute nearly as well as he did – the ‘Helicopter’ shot. MSD used the Helicopter shot to hurt rival bowlers on numerous occasions during his international career. There is no finer sight for Dhoni’s ardent admirers than seeing him swing the blade to execute the ‘Helicopter’.

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​Virat Kohli (India): Cover Drive

 

Source: BCCI

The modern-day great has evolved into a complete batsman throughout the years. There was a time when Virat would refrain from hitting too many sixes. That is now part of his batting arsenal. His signature shot, however, is the cover drive, which he executes flawlessly. Virat is mesmerizing to watch when he plays the cover drive, with great footwork and precise timing.

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​Kevin Pieterson (England): Switch Hit

Source: BCCI

A genius with flaws. That’s perhaps the best way to characterize Kevin Pietersen, who could have written many more spectacular chapters in his cricket career. The switch hit is a contentious stroke in cricket, and it was no surprise when KP mastered it, putting the cricketing world in awe of his incredible ability to change grip, stance, and slam the ball out of the park.

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​AB de Villiers (South Africa): Scoop

Source: BCCI

ABD, dubbed ‘Mr.360,’ is one of the greatest cricketers the game has ever produced. He was one of the rare cricketers who could punish any opposition with orthodox strokes like the scoop shot. He used this hit against the West Indies when he blasted every bowler for the fastest century in ODIs (31 balls).

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Also Read: Shaping Future Stars: Top 5 Cricketers and Their Training Academies (cricfiles.com)