Open vs. Closed Batting Stance: How Setup Determines Shot Options
The difference between open and closed batting stances — how foot position at address determines which shots a batsman can play comfortably, why some batsmen open their stance against pace vs. spin, the extreme open stance used by modern T20 batsmen for the ramp and scoop, how an open stance can cause LBW vulnerability, and examples of famous batsmen with markedly open or closed stances.
The Stance as the Foundation
A cricket batsman's stance — the position of their feet, body, and bat before the bowler delivers — establishes the physical starting point for every stroke they play. The key variable is how much the batsman's body is 'open' (facing the bowler) or 'closed' (turned away from the bowler, side-on). A perfectly side-on stance (closed) has the batsman's front shoulder pointing directly at the bowler, with the feet roughly parallel to the batting crease — this gives maximum reach for off-side drives and maximum leverage for on-side strokes from a sideways body position. An open stance has the body rotated toward the bowler (front hip open, chest more directly facing the bowler) — this reduces reach for some off-side drives but allows more natural pull and leg-side play.
Neither stance is 'correct' in isolation — both produce elite batsmen. Don Bradman was famously slightly open-chested in his stance. Steve Smith uses one of the most unusual stances in modern Test cricket (extremely back-and-across, with a high backlift and somewhat open chest) but his extraordinary run-scoring record challenges any conventional criticism. Most coaching manuals prescribe a 'neutral' or mildly side-on stance as the technical ideal because it maximises the batsman's shot options in all directions — neither fully open nor closed stances provide equal access to all scoring areas.
How Stance Affects Shot Selection
A closed (side-on) stance makes off-side drives easier — the front shoulder naturally points toward mid-off and extra cover, making the straight drive and cover drive the most mechanically efficient strokes. The closed stance makes the pull and sweep shots slightly harder, as the body must rotate more to access the leg side. An open stance makes the pull, sweep, and leg-side strokes easier — the body is already rotated toward the bowler, requiring less rotation to play leg-side strokes — but makes the straight and off-side drives harder because the batsman must reach across their body to play through the off side.
T20 cricket has accelerated the adoption of deliberately open stances for specific shot types: the ramp shot (hitting the ball over the wicket-keeper's head by angling a very open face) and the scoop (reverse-ramp, hitting the ball backward over the wicket-keeper's shoulder) require the batsman's body to be facing the bowler directly — which is an extreme open stance. Some T20 batsmen adopt a very open stance from the address position to make these non-conventional shots possible without a major rotation adjustment at the crease.
Stance and LBW Vulnerability
An open stance creates a specific LBW vulnerability: if the batsman's front leg is positioned across the stumps (as can happen with an extremely open stance), deliveries on or outside off stump that swing or seam back in may hit the pads in front of the stumps. This LBW exposure is one reason coaching traditionalists continue to advocate for a more side-on stance. Batsmen with very open stances — particularly when they move 'across' the stumps in their trigger movement — may find themselves with their pads covering the stumps even for deliveries they are not trying to play. Modern DRS analysis of LBW dismissals can reveal whether a batsman's stance is creating systematic LBW vulnerability.
Frequently asked questions
Can a batsman change their stance between deliveries?
Yes — batsmen regularly adjust their stance between deliveries based on the bowler's previous delivery, the field placement, or their own read of what the next delivery might be. A batsman facing a spinner who has been bowling into the rough may open their stance more to give themselves room to play the ball through the off side. A batsman expecting a short ball may setup slightly more back-foot-ready. These intra-over stance adjustments are a normal part of batting strategy and are invisible to most spectators who see only the eventual shot.
Do left-handed batsmen have the same open/closed stance considerations?
Yes — the open/closed stance principle applies identically to left-handed batsmen, mirrored from right-handers. A closed stance for a left-hander has their front shoulder (right shoulder) pointing toward the bowler, with the body side-on. An open stance for a left-hander has their chest facing the bowler. The off-side/leg-side vulnerabilities are mirrored: a left-hander with a very open stance may have LBW exposure from deliveries pitching outside off stump (which for a right-arm over-the-wicket bowler is pitching to the left-hander's leg stump side).
Has any coach succeeded in changing an elite batsman's stance significantly?
Significant stance changes to elite batsmen are rare and controversial — the stance is the foundation of an established motor programme that a batsman has developed over thousands of hours. Changing a fundamental element like stance alignment can temporarily disrupt an entire player's batting. Steve Smith famously rebuilt his technique multiple times (including stance adjustments) after struggling against short-pitched bowling. Jonny Bairstow has had coaching discussions about his stance's open position. Successful stance changes at elite level typically involve very small adjustments (a few degrees of body rotation rather than complete repositioning) applied over months of net work.