Q&A for How to Time a Cricket Stroke

Make your head in line with the ball, then make a backlift. Time the ball between the gaps or lob the ball straight.

Focus the ball and your timing. Use your strength to hit the powerful shot but remember that timing is most important.

Watch the ball, try to pick up the length and line during the release of the ball and play as late as possible. Above all, be confident that you can time the ball if you let it come towards your body. Also, remain calm and focused. Don't try to duck away or launch an assault towards the bowler.

First of all, your head should be straight during a straight drive. Keep your eyes and shoulders level. Then, lift your battery up to your shoulder, keep your eyes on the ball, go to your front foot and drive.

Take a look at the bowler's arm and watch how fast the bowler swings it. Just take a glance because obviously you won't have much time after the player bowls.

From where you feel comfortable. Virender Sehwag, an absolute legend used to hold the bat from down and Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) the destructive Aussie used to hold it from the strong. See what works for you.

Stay on the back foot when the bowler throws the ball. Come down to the ground and hit it in any direction.

First of all, keep your head calm. A fast bowler will always look for a yorker or full length deliveries. Use a light weight bat and keep it low. Believe in yourself. Judge the line and length of the bowl and swing your bat with full power (if your motive is to get a boundary). It will take some practice to build confidence, don't lose hope.

By stepping out and shifting your weight onto the back. Practice a lot, as that's the best chance you have for improvement, rote procedure.

Keep an eye on the ball when bowler is going to release, and try to defend first few deliveries with your eyes on the ball. Once you start middling the ball with your bat, you can judge the length with your eyesight. This will take some time to practice, however.

When the ball connects with the middle of the bat, put all your strength into the shot. That's all there is to it, but the amount of force you will be able to exert on the ball is dependent on how much strength/muscle you have, so you may want to focus on building up your arm muscles in order to hit the ball harder.

First understand the line, length, and swing of the ball and pick the gap between fielders and fair shot selection (in a test, batsman take half a second to react to the ball).

Keep your eye on it and don't get distracted!

Try to use your your feet to reach the ball on the full, and try to time the ball well rather than hitting too hard. If it's hard to reach to the pitch of the ball, wait on the crease and try something like a slog sweep or a pull.

The batsmen get frustrated if they don't get runs in the powerplay. They get annoyed if they can't stitch up good partnerships in the middle overs and give in to the pressure if the bowlers are attacking both ends in the death. At any point of time, bowlers feel the pressure if they are being hit hard or nothing they bowl works magic. For added pressure make sure that both batsmen go for shots only after settling. A settled batsman hitting it out of the park is harder to crack than a newbie whose shots are going all the way.

Your eyes should be fixed on the ball at all points. Don't take a wild heave, but play a powerful yet controlled shot and play along the floor, unless circumstances are hit out or get out.

Yes. It depends on the situation. If the bowler is not bowling a good delivery, you may want to play those unorthodox shots.

Just block the ball. Remember to punish the bad balls and respect the good balls. If it is a good ball, then block it or you will get out.

Use the amount of pressure that feels comfortable to you while allowing you to control the bat well.

Forward defense is the best way to play a ball if it is at your knees or below. If you have difficulty doing that, try slogging it for a boundary.

You can play a flick shot with power if there are one or two fielders in. Or, play it with a straight bat if your power is great.

First, you must watch the release of the ball and try to practice anticipating the swing whether in or out. If the ball if fast and swinging, try to play it as late as possible and try not to hit or throw your bat as it will mostly edge or get you bowled. Try to find the gap or softly defend. If it is missing the stumps, you also can leave the ball.

Grip the ball on the seam with the middle finger on it and try to spin the ball with your fingers from right to left.