Although cricket is a fairly simple game, a few terms by the commentators may be confusing for normal viewers. Usually, a pundits job is to give his/her overview from every angle of a cricket match. Most pundits are former cricketers and hence, technical analysis usually follows. In this article, we take a look at the meaning of the term Soft Hands in Cricket.
Soft Hands in Cricket
Essentially, the term means that the batter has a softer grip on the handle of the bat. This is especially helpful to avoid playing the ball in the air, especially when there are close-in fielders. The scientific reason for this is because a loosely held bat will itself absorb the impact of the delivery and hence, it is unlikely that the cherry would go up in the air.
It is a skill that has to be developed and is especially useful in swinging and spinning conditions. A softer exertion of the bottom hand also ensures that a batter can easily steer the ball in the gaps and play on the ground.
Who are the best players with this skill?
With the advent of the T20 format, the art of playing with soft hands in cricket is going down. Nevertheless, in the past and in the present, there are players who have mastered the skill of playing the ball with soft hands.
While in the past, Rahul Dravid and Alaistair Cook did well with this skill, in the current era, we have players like Kane Williamson who are popular for their exhibition of soft hands. It can be said that the newer generation almost plays hard at every ball. This is natural considering they have had a major influence on T20 batting in their growing up years. That said, in Test cricket, playing with soft hands is a skill that has to be learned.
