Getting Out of a Batting Slump
Also known as: batting slump, out of form, bad form in cricket, keep getting out early, loss of form batting, run of low scores
To get out of a batting slump, first look at how you have been getting out. A repeated dismissal points to one technical fix. A mix of good balls and bad luck often just needs patience. Go back to basics, bat for time in the nets and judge yourself on balls faced, not runs, until confidence returns.
Start with honest evidence. Write down your last five or six dismissals: the delivery, the shot and the mode of dismissal. If most look the same, such as edging drives outside off or LBW across the line, you have found one thing to fix. If they are all different, and some were good balls or brilliant catches, the problem may be luck or confidence. Overhauling your technique could make things worse.
Then simplify. Go back to the basics you trust: a still head, watching the ball and playing straight. Leave well outside off stump. Cut out the riskiest shot for a while. In the nets, bat for long spells against good bowling with the aim of not getting out. Film a session and compare it with footage from a good run of form if you have it.
In matches, set goals you control, such as facing 30 balls or leaving well in the first ten. Runs tend to come once you are spending time at the crease. Accept that you will need a little luck too. Talk to a coach or a trusted teammate rather than trying every tip at once. A slump feels personal, but it happens to every batter, and working through it calmly is part of the game.
Tips by skill level
Write down how you got out each time. Patterns are easier to see on paper than in your head.
Set a 'time at the crease' target for your next three innings. Once you are batting for time again, add your attacking shots back one at a time.
Example
After four single-figure scores, a batter lists his dismissals and finds three were edges driving at wide balls early on. For two weeks he leaves anything outside off in his first 20 balls. In his next match he bats an hour and makes 41.
Why it matters
Slumps often get worse when batters change too much at once. A calm, evidence-based plan gets you back to scoring sooner.
Common mistakes
- Changing grip, stance and trigger all at once after a few low scores
- Trying to hit your way out of trouble early in the innings
- Judging every innings only by the runs scored
- Listening to every tip from every teammate
Frequently asked questions
How do I get out of a batting slump?
List how you have been getting out. Fix one repeated problem if there is one, go back to basics and bat for time in the nets. Judge yourself on balls faced rather than runs until confidence returns.
Why do I keep getting out early in cricket?
Often from playing at balls you could leave, or attacking before you have settled. Look at your last few dismissals for a pattern, and plan to leave more and defend straight in your first 20 balls.
What should I do when I am out of form batting?
Simplify. Watch the ball, play straight, leave well and cut out your riskiest shot for a while. Set goals you control, such as balls faced, and talk to a coach rather than changing everything.
Related terms
- Nicking Off (Edging Behind)Nicking off is edging a ball outside off stump to the wicket-keeper or slips. It usually comes from playing at balls you could leave, pushing at the ball with hard hands or reaching away from your body. Know your off stump, play late under your eyes with soft hands and leave anything you do not need to play.
- Leaving the BallLeaving the ball means choosing not to play at a delivery and lifting your bat and hands up out of its path. As a result, it goes through to the keeper. Leave balls you judge will miss the stumps, usually those wide of off stump or bouncing over the top. Move your feet into position first, then lift the bat high and keep watching the ball until it passes you.
- Nerves Before BattingFeeling nervous before you bat is normal, and a little helps you stay sharp. Get padded up early, watch the bowlers and plan your first few balls. Take slow breaths with a long out-breath. Then focus only on watching the next ball. The aim is to manage nerves, not to get rid of them.
- Filming Your BattingFilm your batting from two angles: side-on, square of the wicket, and front-on, from behind the bowler or behind you. Keep the camera still at about hip height, with your whole body, bat and stumps in frame. Film several balls of the same type, and stand behind the netting, never in the line of the ball.
- False Shot and Control PercentageControl percentage is the share of balls on which a batter is judged to be in control of their shot. The test is whether the ball went where the batter meant it to. A false shot is a ball the batter does not control, such as an edge or a play and miss. False shot percentage is the share of balls where that happens.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.