Batting in Pairs — Running Between the Wickets
Understand how batting partnerships work, the communication and judgment required for running between the wickets, and the rules around run-outs and backing up.
Why batters always work in pairs
Cricket is unique among bat-and-ball sports in that two batters are on the field simultaneously, working as a unit. When the batter facing a delivery hits the ball or lets it go, both batters may run — crossing the 20.12-metre pitch from crease to crease — to score runs. The non-striker's role is not passive: they must be alert, capable of making instant decisions, and prepared to sprint. Every run scored by running is a joint achievement; every run-out is a joint failure.
The calling system
Batters communicate run decisions through calls: 'Yes' (run), 'No' (stay), or 'Wait' (hold position until the situation clears). The general convention is that the batter who hits the ball calls for balls in front of the wicket (where they can best judge the fielder's position and the ball's direction), and the non-striker calls for balls behind the wicket (where the non-striker has the better sightline). Both batters must react immediately to the other's call — hesitation causes run-outs.
Backing up
Backing up refers to the non-striker leaving their crease before the ball is bowled to gain a head start on any run. This is legal — and indeed encouraged — but only once the bowler has released the ball. If a non-striker leaves their crease before the bowler releases, the bowler may 'Mankad' them — running out the non-striker by dislodging the bails at the non-striker's end without bowling. The 'Mankad' dismissal is legal under Law 38.3 and was officially reclassified as a run-out (rather than 'unfair play') in 2022.
Partnership records and importance
Partnerships — the runs scored between two batters before one is dismissed — are a key statistical unit in cricket. The highest Test partnership record is 624 unbroken runs for the third wicket by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena against South Africa in 2006. In T20 cricket, partnerships are valued not only for runs but for the acceleration they allow — a settled pair can manipulate strike, target weaker bowlers, and build momentum. When two aggressive batters are set simultaneously, the scoring rate often doubles compared to when one is a new arrival.