Ranking top 5 batsmen with best straight drive

Experiencing a beautiful cover drive along the ground is more satisfying than watching a top edge going over the ropes. In this generation, the beauty of the game is visualized in the longest and toughest format of the game where the bowlers try to take 20 wickets to win the match, the batsman looks to score the runs safely. The real skill of a player is tested in the longest format of the game.

However, very few players can absorb the pressure and deal with the situation. Those who look to establish their careers by slogging every delivery out of the ground, find themselves at the receiving end (of course, there are few exceptions). Therefore, the players need to respect the opposition’s skills and play along the ground as much as they can. In the present era, few players have mastered this art of playing along the ground.

Amongst them, five batsmen have been able to play the straight drive to perfection. Do you remember Sachin’s counter-attack on a fiery Lee? Even though none of the batsmen come close to the God of Cricket, they seem to have mastered the toughest shot in the book.

Have a look at the 5 best batsmen of the straight drive among active cricketers:

5. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

Kane Williamson belongs to a group of players who have shown that one can exceed in T20 cricket by playing orthodox shots. Williamson has been a part of the “Fab-4” for a long time and is widely regarded as one of the best in this era. Currently, he has been the flagbearer of a strong New Zealand team that is dominating Test cricket. If he continues to perform at this rate, he might surpass Martin Crowe as the greatest batsman New Zealand has ever produced. 

Orthodox batting is never seen as attractive in T20 cricket. But Williamson’s 1723 runs in 62 T20Is showcase that he has been an excellent batsman in the shortest format. As we speak of orthodox shots, Kane’s ability to hit the ball along the ground makes him the anchor of the inning. He has scored consistently down the ground and is one of the finest players who can play straight drive to perfection. 

When required, Williamson can loft the ball across the square boundaries. But, when the team looks to save wickets, he can drive the ball along the ground. It is, without any doubt, one of the most beautiful sights in world cricket at the moment. His ball-striking abilities are similar to the Indian great Rahul Dravid, who scored the majority of the runs along the ground.

Because of his abilities to score straight down the ground, Williamson makes it to this list of the 5 best batsmen of the straight drive among active cricketers.