5 Batsmen who can hit a yorker for a six

The yorker is one of the toughest deliveries to execute for a bowler but the effectiveness and the possible result makes it worth an attempt. Especially in white-ball cricket when the batsmen are going hard at almost everything, it is the best weapon for a bowler to redeem himself. However, the execution needs to be spot on – miss the yorker length just by a small margin and it may travel the distance. There are a few bowlers around the world at the moment who can bowl pinpoint yorkers. Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada, Mitchell Starc are among them who do that consistently and back their skills under pressure. Their accuracy and consistency make them stand out and put the batsmen under pressure while they are bowling. But that does not mean, it is the ultimate solution. While bowlers worked hard to master this skill, batsmen are a step ahead and can hit those for sixes. To hit a six off a yorker needs an unusually high level of skill. Getting underneath the ball and getting the elevation for it to travel the distance is as vital as making a good connection. Hence, here we look at five players who can hit a six off a yorker. 1. Andre Russell Andre Russell. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS) If you have been watching the game in recent few months, one of the first few batsmen that come to mind when you talk about sixes is Andre Russell. The hard-hitting West Indian all-rounder set the stage on fire in the IPL. He hit a staggering 52 sixes in the season and played some blinders. In fact, at one point it appeared as if he was smashing sixes for fun. Russell’s main strength is the muscle or power he possesses and the bat swing he manages to generate. More often than not, even if he top ends, toe edges it or mishits one, the balls go sailing for six. That’s because – hit the ball, hit it so hard that even mistimed shots travel all the way. He doesn’t necessarily have a weak zone being equally good against pace and spin though the bouncer troubled him a bit in the second half of the IPL. Russell sits deep in the crease waiting for the ball, he opens his front leg to create the angle for a full swing of the bat and thus even if the bowler hits the yorker length delivery he can deposit them into the stands. 2. Hardik Pandya Hardik Pandya. (Photo: Sandip Mahankal/IANS) Hardik Pandya is another batsman who was smashing sixes at will in the IPL. India’s premier all-rounder may not be hugely built but he has the muscle to clear the fence. He is one of those batsmen that can go after the bowling right from the first ball. It’s more timing than power from Pandya when he goes big. Initially, he was a killer against spin bowling but of late he has developed his game against the fast bowlers as well which makes him even more dangerous. Pandya has the ability to hit the ball to most parts of the ground as he loves to play down the ground and isn’t predominantly an off or on-side player. It is quite evident that the 25-year-old has been working on his big-hitting and finishing prowess. He thus stations himself pretty deep in the crease and camps there for the ball that is in his arc. He can carve it over point, can go down the ground and recently, he’s started to play the helicopter shot which has given him quite a bit of success. 3. Jos Buttler Jos Buttler. (Photo: Twitter) Jos Buttler is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world at the moment. He is a mixture of both power as well as timing and is fast taking over as one of the best finishers in modern-day cricket. It is this explosiveness that gives him the ability to take the game away from the opposition in a matter of a few overs. The England wicketkeeper is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball. He has the power game and the delicate game as well. He can smoke sixes in the ‘V’ and can improvise as well. The right-hander who is a vital part of England‘s middle-order can get down and play the scoop or the paddle. He has almost all the new batting shots in his repertoire including the reverse stance paddle. Hence, Buttler is a typical 360-degree player who can smash a six anywhere on the ground. He reads the ball fast and has good hand-eye coordination which makes him effective even against a yorker. 4. MS Dhoni MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Twitter) MS Dhoni is arguably one of the greatest finishers of all-time in limited-overs cricket. The former India skipper first came into prominence for his tremendous six-hitting ability. His strength to get under the ball and manage the required elevation for the ball to travel over the ropes was just fascinating to watch. Today, his powers might be on the wane, but the skill never ceases to exist. Dhoni can still execute those brutal and powerful shots down the ground. There was a point when not a lot of players could carve out the yorker and hit it for six. MS Dhoni did that consistently almost throughout his career. Going full has always been considered a dangerous option against Dhoni. He would hit the helicopter shot against those aimed at his stumps and lifts the wide yorkers over the off-side fence as well. 5. Glenn Maxwell Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB) Glenn Maxwell is a box-office player and can light up the game when he’s in full flow. However, consistency has been one of his big problems and that’s possibly the only reason why he hasn’t played as many matches as he should’ve. Maxwell is such a player that makes you pull your hair at times with the way he plays and gets dismissed while he promises so much. But Maxwell is a special talent and has the rare ability to carve out a yorker for six. The Aussie all-rounder has a strong base and is more of a complete batsman in terms of technique which allows him to hit the ball all across the ground. He can knock over cover or mid-wicket and even go over the bowler’s head. He gets his runs even behind the wicket with the paddles, reverse sweep is one of his favourite armaments and the switch hit brings in just another range of shots into play. Maxwell like the others in this list has the ability to clear the fence even on a yorker length delivery.

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5 Batsmen who can hit a yorker for a six

To hit a six off a yorker needs an unusually high level of skill.

3. Jos Buttler

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