Cricket Batting Stance Explained — Open, Closed, and Side-On Positions
Your batting stance is the foundation of how you play cricket. Learn the difference between an open stance, closed stance, and side-on stance, and why top batters adopt different positions to suit their technique.
The batting stance is the body position a batter adopts before the bowler delivers. It determines the initial weight distribution, the alignment of the feet, the position of the head, and how freely a batter can move in any direction. While batting coaches teach orthodox stances, elite batters have long modified their stance to suit their own eye, reflexes, and shot-making preferences.
The side-on stance (orthodox)
The traditional coaching position is the side-on stance: the batter's front shoulder points roughly down the pitch toward the bowler, feet parallel, weight balanced. From a side-on position, the batter's head naturally looks over the front shoulder at the ball — the classic coaching image. Side-on allows free movement forward and back, and is well-suited to playing straight deliveries along the ground. It is the most commonly taught stance in junior cricket.
Open stance
An open stance means the batter's front foot is turned toward the off side — hips more open to the bowler. This gives the batter a clearer view of the ball with both eyes facing more directly toward the bowler. Many great batters used an open stance: Shivnarine Chanderpaul's extreme open stance and AB de Villiers's wide stance were key parts of their unconventional technique. The open stance can make it harder to play straight but can improve the batter's ability to play on the leg side.
Closed stance
A closed stance means the front foot is turned toward the leg side — the batter's body faces slightly away from the bowler. A closed stance can help a batter play on the off side because the body naturally drives through extra-cover, but it can make playing on the leg side more difficult. Fewer batters adopt an explicitly closed stance than open, though some batters shift from side-on to slightly closed when targeting an off-side boundary.
Guard and stance together
Stance works alongside guard — where the batter marks their crease position relative to middle stump, leg stump, or 'two legs'. A batter taking a middle-and-leg guard often adopts a slightly more open stance to cover the stumps on both sides. A batter taking middle stump guard may stand more side-on. The combination of guard and stance defines the batter's eye-line and initial movement pattern before the ball is bowled.
Frequently asked questions
What is an open batting stance in cricket?
An open batting stance is when the batter's front foot is turned toward the off side, opening the hips toward the bowler. It gives a clearer two-eyed view of the ball but can make straight drives harder to execute.
What is the orthodox batting stance?
The orthodox or side-on batting stance positions the batter with their front shoulder pointing down the pitch, feet parallel, and head looking over the front shoulder at the bowler. It is the most commonly taught stance in youth cricket coaching.
Does your batting stance matter in cricket?
Yes, but there is no single correct stance. The stance determines eye-line and initial movement, so a comfortable, balanced position is important. Many elite batters have unconventional stances that suit their specific technique and shot-making preferences.