10 Cricket Batting Tips Every Beginner Must Know
Whether you're stepping into cricket nets for the first time or trying to refine your game, these 10 batting fundamentals from our coaches will transform your technique.
Whether you have never held a cricket bat or you have been playing for a few months, these 10 batting basics from our coaches at Play Matrix will give your technique a solid base. We have taught these at our Padmanabhanagar nets for years.
1. Start with the correct grip
The grip is your connection to the bat. Hold the bat with both hands close together near the top of the handle. Your top hand (left for right-handers) should provide control; your bottom hand adds power. The 'V' formed by your thumb and forefinger on both hands should point toward the back edge of the bat.
2. Get your stance right
Stand side-on to the bowler with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your weight should be evenly distributed, slightly on the balls of your feet. Knees should be slightly bent — never stiff. Eyes level and head still. A good stance is the foundation of every shot you play.
3. Watch the ball all the way
This sounds obvious, but it is the biggest difference between beginners and good players. Most beginners look up too early. Train yourself to watch the ball from the bowler's hand to your bat. At our nets, we use coloured-ball drills to improve this.
Coach's Tip
Focus on the seam of the ball as it comes towards you. This forces you to watch it all the way and also helps you read the line and length earlier.
4. Play late, not early
Beginners tend to play shots too early and get beaten by movement off the pitch. Let the ball come to you and play it as late as you can. This matters most for defensive shots and the drive. The later you play, the more time you have to adjust.
5. Footwork is everything
Good footwork gets you to the pitch of the ball on the front foot, and into position on the back foot. Practise the forward defensive — a step down the pitch to cover the ball — until it is automatic. This is the shot our coaches work on most with beginners.
Practise these at our cricket nets
The only way to embed these habits is repetition. Our cricket nets at Padmanabhanagar are open from 5 AM to 10:30 PM. You can book a self-practice session or book with one of our coaches for focused feedback. WhatsApp us to get started.
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Open every day, 5:00 AM – 10:30 PM. Padmanabhanagar, South Bangalore.
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Coaches and sports enthusiasts at Padmanabhanagar, South Bangalore. Updated: January 2026.