Back Foot Batting: Playing Short Deliveries and the Cut Shot
The back foot technique — moving onto the back foot for short deliveries, using height and time to play the pull, cut, or defensive push — is cricket's essential counter to aggressive fast bowling. This guide covers back foot positioning, the cut shot mechanics, and how elite batsmen play the short ball.
Back foot batting refers to playing deliveries that pitch short of a good length — deliveries that rise above waist height or sit at a comfortable height for attacking shots. When a bowler pitches short, the batsman moves their back foot toward the stumps and their weight transfers backward, giving them time to see the ball rise and select the appropriate shot: the pull (hitting the ball on the leg side for four/six), the cut (hitting to the off side), the hook (pulling the ball behind square on the leg side), or a defensive push (off the back foot, playing down the line of the ball).
The Cut Shot
The cut shot is an attacking back-foot shot played to short deliveries wide outside off stump. The batsman: moves back and across toward the off side, creating width; hits the ball square of the wicket (between point and extra cover) with a horizontal bat; and aims for the gap between cover and third man. The cut shot is ideally played when the ball bounces at waist height or lower — cutting at a ball that bounces above waist height is extremely dangerous (the ball rises into the edge rather than staying low for a clean hit). The cut is one of cricket's most reliable run-scoring shots against pace because the ball is moving away from the stumps and the batsman has time to set up.
The Pull Shot
The pull shot is the attacking response to a short ball on the leg side: the batsman moves back and pulls the ball to the on side (square leg to mid-on). A top-edge pull (off the top edge of the bat) can go anywhere — usually caught behind or into the sky for a catch. The safe pull is played with the ball slightly below shoulder height, hitting it down into the ground (decreasing catching risk). A pull above shoulder height that doesn't go into the ground (hit aerially) creates significant dismissal risk. Batsmen who hook (pulling aerial balls that bounce above shoulder height deliberately) accept this risk; those who pull only chest-height balls play more safely.
Back Foot Defence
Back foot defensive play is critical in Test cricket against fast bowling on seaming pitches: the batsman moves back and blocks the ball with a vertical bat, angling it into the ground toward mid-off or mid-on. Back foot defence is used when the ball rises awkwardly (too close to the body for an attacking shot) or when the batsman is uncertain of the ball's trajectory (a defensive push is safer than an attacking shot that could edge to slip). The key: the back foot must move inside or level with the off stump — moving back outside off stump creates LBW risk on the next inswing delivery into the body.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cut shot in cricket?
The cut shot is a back-foot batting shot played to a short delivery outside off stump. The batsman moves back and across, hits the ball square of the wicket (between point and third man) with a horizontal bat. The cut is most effective when the ball bounces at waist height or below on a hard pitch — the ball moves away from the stumps, giving the batsman time and width to play. The cut is one of cricket's most reliable four-scoring shots against pace bowling because the delivery is short and wide, removed from the stumps.
What is the difference between a pull and a hook in cricket?
Both the pull and hook are back-foot shots played to short deliveries on the leg side, but they differ in the ball's height and direction. The pull is played to deliveries at chest height or below — hit in front of square (mid-on to square leg) and into the ground for safety. The hook is played to very short deliveries above shoulder height — hit behind square (square leg to fine leg) and often struck aerially. The hook is higher-risk because top-edging a hook can go to any fielder; the pull into the ground is safer because it reduces the catching risk.
How do batsmen handle short-pitched bowling?
Batsmen handle short-pitched bowling through: (1) moving onto the back foot early (weight transferred backward to create time to see the ball rise); (2) shot selection based on the ball's height and line — hook for very short above shoulder; pull for chest height; cut for short and wide outside off; defensive push for awkward short balls close to the body; (3) ducking and swaying (moving the head out of the ball's path for balls aimed at the head); and (4) reading the bowler's intent from delivery stride cues (run-up angle, loading position) to anticipate the short ball before it's released.