Inside-Out Shot in Cricket
What is the inside-out shot in cricket? How batting outside off stump and hitting against the natural line scores over cover or extra cover.
The inside-out shot is an attacking stroke where the batsman steps outside off stump and plays against the natural line of the ball — hitting it over cover or extra cover from a ball that would normally be driven straight or on-driven. It is primarily used in T20 and ODI cricket to target the off side when mid-wicket and long-on are guarded.
How to Play the Inside-Out
- Step outside the off stump — position the body outside the line of the ball.
- The delivery now appears to be coming into the body from the leg side (from the new angle).
- Open the bat face and swing through toward extra cover or cover point.
- Hit against the natural line — the ball goes to the off side even though it pitched middle.
- Follow through toward extra cover.
Why It Is Effective
- Exploits the gap over cover or extra cover when fielders are on the leg side.
- Disrupts the off-spinner's strategy completely by converting a leg-side delivery to an off-side shot.
- The field cannot be quickly adjusted — it is a sudden change of direction.
- Can be played lofted for six or along the ground for four.
Frequently asked questions
Who plays the inside-out best?
Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Glenn Maxwell are the outstanding inside-out players in the modern game. De Villiers in particular made it a standard part of his T20 toolkit.
Is the inside-out the same as a front-foot off drive?
No. A normal off drive hits a delivery outside off stump toward mid-off. The inside-out hits a delivery that was originally going down the leg side but the batsman's repositioning converts it into a cover or extra cover shot.