The Flick and Glance in Cricket — Wrist Shots Explained
The flick and glance are among cricket's most elegant batting shots — turning deliveries onto the leg side with minimal effort. Here's how they work and who plays them best.
The flick and the leg glance are cricket's wrist shots — deliveries that arrive on or outside leg stump are deflected to the leg side using wrist rotation rather than a full arm swing. These shots are among the most aesthetically pleasing in batting, associated with batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and David Gower, who seemed to glide the ball to fine leg with no apparent effort.
The Leg Glance
The leg glance is played against a delivery on the leg stump or just outside. The batsman presents the face of the bat and uses a slight wrist turn to deflect the ball toward fine leg or backward of square leg. Minimal footwork is required — the shot is about bat angle and wrist position rather than power. The ball's own pace carries it to the boundary.
The Flick
The flick is bolder than the glance — played off the front foot against a full delivery on or just outside leg stump, the batsman rotates their wrists and flicks the ball to mid-wicket or square leg with force. It's a productive scoring shot against leg-stump-line bowling and requires excellent timing and wrist strength. Mishit flicks go straight to midwicket fielders; well-timed ones go to the boundary.
Masters of the Wrist
- Sachin Tendulkar: his leg flick and wrist shots off his legs were among the most controlled in cricket history
- VVS Laxman: perhaps the greatest wrist-shot player of all time — his leg glances and flicks in the 2001 Kolkata Test are legendary
- David Gower: English left-hander whose effortless leg glances made him one of cricket's most graceful batters
- MS Dhoni: used the flick to devastating effect in T20 cricket, particularly the helicopter shot variation
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a flick and a leg glance?
The glance is a softer deflection, typically off the back foot, deflecting the ball to fine leg. The flick is more forceful, typically off the front foot, turning the ball to mid-wicket or square leg with wrist rotation.
Can you play a flick off a rising delivery?
Yes. A rising delivery on leg stump can be flicked through fine leg — timing the wrist roll as the ball rises. This is a common shot against pace bowling when the bowler targets the batsman's body.