img source:sportswhoop.com
Ranking of Top 5 Batsmen with a Best Straight Drive
Kohli is the master of straight drives, Azam and Williamson also in the line
The shots driven through the cover or the straight down the bowler have already earned special accolades than the shots going to the fence through the top edges of the bat. In modern-day cricket, especially in the limited over cricket or in the shortest format, that is in the Twenty20 game the batsmen generally become desperate to score runs and they are seen exhibiting several eccentric shots.
But talking about the beauty of batting, the longest format of the game which lies in Test cricket, defines one batsman’s technique and skill of exhibiting dominance over the bowler through those conventional shots. The straight drives are regarded as the key strength of a batsman's primary skill in Test cricket. Most of the great batsmen have the commonness that they can execute priceless drives with impeccable accuracy and grace. Here in this context, a Ranking of the top 5 batsmen with the best straight drive has been made.
Virat Kohli
The Ranking of the top 5 batsmen with the best straight drive will be unfair without Virat Kohli who can be on the top of the list. Undoubtedly in the post-Sachin Tendulkar era, Kohli has placed himself as the poster boy of Indian cricket. The Indian skipper has been dominating world cricket for more than the last 10 years and in every format, he has been maintaining an average of more than 50. Still, Kohli's approach can be an example for the batsmen of a future generation especially for those batsmen who are seen flourishing in limited over and shortest format. Virat Kohli always tries to offer shots, written in the book and those are mainly the drives, unleashed either through cover or straight past the bowler. His straight drives are delightful to watch. He follows the classical approach while executing the straight drives by leaning on the ball with the front foot moving forward and executing with perfect timing.
Also Read - Top 10 Greatest Test Batsmen of all-time
Quinton de Kock
Quinton de Kock, the captain of South Africa had come into the news recently when he knocked consecutive centuries against India during a home series. The left-handed batsman is highly appreciated for his clean-hitting ability and he is mostly sought by several IPL franchises for his ability to execute perfect shots that pierce through the ground. Quinton de Kock is called one of the finest openers in the world of cricket nowadays and his key strength in batting is straight drives which he executes in classical style. Even, De Kock can unleash the drives similarly in ODI as well as in T20 format. De Kock who has scored 5135 runs in 121 ODIs including his best score of 178 at an average of 44.65 and gathered 1303 runs 47 T20Is including 6 fifties is seen executing the brilliant straight drives in the shorter format of the game. Even in Australia, against the top fast bowlers, De Kock showed his aggression, exhibiting his wonderful drives mostly.
Babar Azam
Babar Azam, the right-hand batsman of Pakistan is also termed as one of the finest batsmen in world cricket. The key reason behind the admiration for Azam is that even in the shortest format of the game Azam has earned claps for having consistently scored runs through orthodox shots which consist mainly of straight drives. Azam was on the top of the ICC Twenty20 batsman’s list for some time. He has acquired an amazing batting average of 50.93 in his 44 T20Is where has amassed 1681 runs including 16 fifties. Azam’s ODI average is also fantastic. He has 3580 runs in 77 ODIs including 12 centuries and 16 fifties at an average of 55.93. Like Virat Kohli, this 26-year old batsman is also called one of the finest straight drivers in the world cricket. That is why Azam has been included in the Fab-4 group that consists of three other batsmen, Kohli, Smith Kane Williamson. It has been noticed in recent times that Azam's straight-drive, as well as cover drives, have created huge fanfare in Pakistan and the number of attendance has also increased whenever Babar Azam bats at any stadium in Pakistan. Naturally, Azam must be in the list of Ranking of Top 5 batsmen with the best straight drive.
Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane, the stand-in captain of the Indian team in absence of Virat Kohli in the country's historic series victory against Australia has established himself as one of the vital batsmen in Test cricket. Rahane has prospered in difficult conditions several times. Be it Lords or Melbourne, this right-handed Mumbai batsman's effort and cool temperament have helped India achieve many victories. He is one batsman who also has a resemblance in offering delicious straight drives that go along the ground. Even in the limited over cricket, Rahane has not changed his classical batting style and in 90 ODIs Rahane has scored 2962 runs at an average of 35.26 while in the Twenty20 International Rahane having played 20 matches has scored 375 runs.
Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson, the right-hand batsman from New Zealand has been flattered with the tag of Fab-4 for a long time for his splendid style of batting and consistency. He is one batsman like Babar Azam who has ruled out the concept that the Twenty20 format needs unconventional shots to score big runs. Williamson, who has scored 6173 runs from 151 ODIs at an average of 47.48 and has amassed 1723 runs from 62 T20Is at an impressive average of 33.13, has shown his class in the limited over the game through orthodox shots mostly. It is not that Kane Williamson cannot deliver lofted shots over the square-leg or through the deep fine-leg. But whenever his team struggles to survive, losing wickets Williamson is seen unleashing immaculate straight drives to save wickets as well as anchor the innings.
