What is the Difference Between a Hook Shot and a Pull Shot? CBTF News

What is the Difference Between a Hook Shot and a Pull Shot?

The hook shot and the pull shot are the two most difficult shots in cricket. Both are highly similar and hence, often create confusion when used. Hence, in this article, we will try to explore the individual characteristics of these two shots so that the difference between the two can be identified.

• Hook Shot

When a ball is attended at a level at or above the shoulder of the batsman, it leads to a hook shot. The ball might even be aimed at your chest. Most often, the shot is played horizontally. It is played on the ‘on’ side of the field. The shot comes in handy to tackle a bouncer. The bouncer is a fastball delivery that reaches the batsman after a single bounce and might go above the head.

As interesting as it may sound, hook shots cannot be played with ease. The batsman might get hit in the face and even the eyes if the safety helmet is not worn. Even if the helmet is worn and the ball hits the head, it can lead to severe conditions like concussion.

Once mastered, the shot is capable of adding a four or even a six to your tally. The reason behind it is that the ball is already traveling at a high speed and horizontally more power will be applied. Timing plays an important role as this shot needs to be played early. The batsman needs proper room to play this shot. He should be able to have proper footwork in time. If that does not happen, you may hit your own wicket and get out.

Extreme focus on the ball and proper wrist movement are other needs for the shot to be played as the delivery will usually be short. Hence, you would neither have a lot of reaction time nor much room for movement.

Bouncers often find themselves in the stands if hit correctly (in short, it will be a six). For this, the shot should be employed right when the ball is still in the air. But the batsman also needs to be mindful of the fielding setup. No one would like to be caught mid-air to go back to the pavilion. 

One can ace the hook shot by following the following simple steps:

1. Your body, including your head and shoulders, should be well prepared to arch backward in order to have the perfect sync of the bat and the ball. This would also give you a couple of extra microseconds to act upon and attack the ball the way you want. Maintain your balance and figure out the perfect position to play the shot.

1. The next step is the accurate judgment of the line and length of the ball. This will help you have a clear picture of whether you wish to attack the ball while it is still recovering from the bounce or at the line of the ball.

1. Once you have made up your mind to play the shot, stretch your arms in the air at the correct level, most probably at shoulder level. Swing them before the ball has approached you. Aim the bat across the body and let the ball have enough time of contact with the ball while you drive it toward the boundary.

1. You won’t always get a boundary. There could be chances when you miss the ball. In that case, take quick action. Gather your balance and get ready to react well in time so that the missed ball does not hit you.

• Pull Shot

A pull shot is played to the leg side of the pitch against a short delivery placed between the mid-wicket and the backward square leg. In a pull shot, the ball is hit along the ground. It is an attacking shot. Depending on when the batsman attacks, the ball can fall in the line of the waist or the shoulder of the batsman.

Pull shots are easier to be played when the batter has already anticipated the delivery is going to be short. When anticipated, the batsman will have enough time to get closer to the wicket and sit deep. If not, you may play the shot from a regular stance.

Pull shot can be played in the following steps:

1. Balance is the key again. Adjust your body and distribute your weight according to the line and length of the ball.

1. The optimum stance to attack a short ball through a pull shot will be a deep seat toward the stumps. Feet will be closer to each other. The height of the delivery will determine if you will have to stand on your toes or not.

1. Your head should be still and your focus should be on the ball. Let your left shoulder fall down towards the leg side and your right shoulder should take its place. The process is the opposite for a left-hander.

1. When a perfect horizontal angle is achieved, hit the ball in a sweeping motion.

• Similarities between the shot

Both the shots are difficult to play but once mastered, can help you fetch boundaries. They are often confused due to the sweeping motion in which the shots are played. The angles are horizontal too. Both are employed to play the short balls. Moreover, the batsman needs to play them from a backfoot. Hence, getting confused between the two is not a big deal. However, as you must have noticed, they have their differences too.

• Some Famous Practitioners of the Shots

Rohit Sharma, one of the greatest active cricketers in the world is often titled the master of pull shots. Vivian Richards nonetheless was amongst the earliest players to put the shot to use as others would fear playing it given the difficulty and risk involved. Other masters of the pull shot are Virat Kohli, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, and others. Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting are considered to be the best executors of the hook shot on the other hand.

Conclusion

We hope you have a clear understanding of what a hook shot and a pull shot are. The basic points of difference between the two, as can be deduced from the above discussion are that the hook shot is played on the ‘off’ side of the pitch while the pull shot is played on the ‘on’ side. Bouncers will mostly be tackled by hook shots while shorter deliveries can be tackled either way. Also, more power needs to be employed in a hook shot as opposed to the use of pace of the ball in a pull short.

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