The Pull Shot in Cricket: Attacking the Short Ball on the Leg Side

The pull shot is an attacking stroke played against a short delivery that rises to between hip and chest height, directed at or outside leg stump. The batter moves back in the crease and swings the bat horizontally across the line of the ball, dispatching it toward mid-wicket, square leg, or deep mid-wicket. Played well, it is one of the most spectacular scoring shots in cricket.

Technique

The pull shot begins with a back-foot trigger movement — the batter steps back and across to give themselves room to swing through the ball. The bat is taken back toward fine leg and then swung flat and hard across the line of the delivery. Contact should be made with the ball in front of the body, not beside or behind it. A high front elbow helps control the direction of the shot.

Pull vs Hook

The pull shot and the hook shot are closely related but distinct. The pull is played against a ball that rises between hip and chest height and is dispatched in front of square. The hook shot is played against a ball rising to head height and is hit behind square — across the face toward fine leg. Both are attacking strokes against the short ball, but the hook is higher risk due to the extra height of the delivery.

Top Order Pull Shot Specialists

Batters who are renowned for their pull shot include Ricky Ponting, whose pull was considered technically perfect, and Vivian Richards, whose aggressive pull shot against short-pitched bowling helped redefine attacking batsmanship. In the modern era, Steve Smith's pull shot is considered among the best in world cricket for its timing and placement.