Helicopter Shot
Also known as: helicopter shot, helicopter shot in cricket, the helicopter, helicopter six, how to play the helicopter shot
The helicopter shot is a power stroke to a full ball or yorker, usually hit through or over the leg side. The bat swings hard through the ball with a strong flick of the bottom hand. It finishes with a big circular follow-through above the head, like a helicopter's blades.
The shot is used against very full balls aimed at the stumps or the feet. A normal drive is hard against a yorker, because there is little room to swing. The helicopter uses fast hands and wrists to get the bat under the ball. The ball is struck late and whipped towards midwicket or long-on.
The key parts are a stable base, a high backlift and a strong bottom hand. The batter stays still and lets the ball come. At contact the bottom hand drives the bat through and up. The wrists keep turning after contact, so the bat swirls over the shoulder in a full circle. That circular finish gives the shot its name.
It is a high-risk shot. Mistiming it can mean a miss and a bowled, or a top edge. It needs strong forearms and a lot of practice against full balls. Coaches usually suggest learning a straight block and a straight drive to yorkers first. Add the helicopter only once your base and timing are reliable.
Tips by skill level
Learn to keep out yorkers with a straight bat first. Then practise whipping full balls from a bowling machine at slow speed.
Keep the base wide and the head still. Strike late and let the wrists keep turning after contact instead of stopping the bat.
Example
In the last over, the bowler fires in a yorker. The batter digs it out with a sharp whip of the wrists. The bat swirls over his head and the ball flies over midwicket for six.
Why it matters
Very full balls are the hardest to score from in the death overs. A batter who can whip a yorker away gives the bowler fewer safe options.
Common mistakes
- Trying it against balls that are not full enough
- Swinging with the arms instead of a strong wrist whip
- Falling away so the bat cannot get under the ball
- Practising it before you can block a yorker reliably
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the helicopter shot?
Wait for a very full ball, stay still on a wide base and strike late. Whip the bottom hand through and keep the wrists turning so the bat circles over your shoulder.
Is the helicopter shot hard to learn?
Yes. It needs strong wrists, good timing and lots of practice against full balls. Learn to block and drive yorkers first.
Related terms
- YorkerA yorker is a delivery bowled to pitch right at the batter's feet, under the swinging bat. It is one of the hardest balls to score off and a key death-overs weapon.
- Power Hitting (Six Hitting)Power hitting comes from a stable base, a still head and fast bat speed through the ball, not from swinging harder with the arms. Read the length early and clear your front leg if you need room. Swing through the line with a full face and full extension.
- Bottom HandIn cricket batting, the bottom hand is the lower hand on the bat handle, the right hand for a right-hander. It controls cross-bat power and direction; too dominant, it closes the bat face.
- Death OversThe death overs are the final overs of a limited-overs innings, usually overs 17–20 in T20 or 41–50 in one-day cricket. Batters chase runs and bowlers try to limit them.
- Bat Speed in CricketBat speed is how fast the bat is moving as it reaches the ball. In cricket there is no single published standard for a "good" bat speed. Readings vary with the sensor, where it is mounted and the shot played. Compare your own numbers over time on the same device.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.