Everyone wants to buy the best cricket bat for themselves.

but what makes the bat best in cricket? the best can differ for everyone.

you will have to make sure these 4 qualities of the bat suit you and then you can fully express yourself on the field with your next ‘best’ bat.

Before you swipe your card, review the bat’s willow, grains, height, and weight to make sure it matches your skills, game, and budget. Here is a detailed explanation of each one. 

 4 things to look for while purchasing your next bat.

Willow

Grains

Weight

Size

Willow

The first step is to decide on the willow. There are infamous two types of bat willows.

• English willow
• Kashmir willow
  

English willow is the strongest bat willow and is used by every professional cricketer.

English willow provides great strength and ping (the force at which the ball goes after the hit). The white English willows(salix alba) are grown in Essex and Suffolk. (United Kingdom).

these bats can range from 3000rs to 10000+.

Kashmir willows on the other hand are cheap but budget-friendly and provide value for money.

They are typically heavier than the English willow bats.

Kashmir willow is normally used at small and club-level cricket. Kashmir willow bat range from 1000rs to 4000rs and above.

If you are a beginner and learning things, Kashmir willow bats are highly recommended.

If you can middle and time the ball well, willow makes very little difference. 

The second thing to look for is the bat’s grains…

Grains of the bat

Grains are basically straight lines on the face of a cricket bat. Each line represents one year of the willow’s age. The more grains, the older and stronger the willow.

Normally English willows have 6-12 grains on a bat. go for the grains above 6.

size

Normally, a Cricket bat’s height or length is between 26 inches to 34 inches and the maximum you can have is 38 inches. The bat’s maximum width is 4.25 inches (108mm).

Make sure you choose the right size of bat according to your height and age. Here is the size chart you can refer to for choosing the bat size.

Weight for the bat speed

when you are buying a new bat the other question is whether to choose light weighted bat or a heavy one.

Normally the bat’s weight range from 1.1kg to 1.35kg. lower for younger players.

The perfect weight for you would be the one that suits your physique or the one that you are used to.

You must not feel slow while swinging the bat. And it differs for each individual.

The heavier bat gives more power but the lighter bat gives you more control of the shot and better bat speed.

Sachin Tendulkar used to play with the heavy bat, that weighed around 1.5kg.

In his childhood, he played a lot of cricket with his elder brother’s bat. The bat was heavier than he could control but he eventually adapted.

He felt uncomfortable using the light weighted bats afterward.  

In the end, it is about your comfort and confidence.

To wrap up:

While going to the shop or amazon for your next bat, make sure to check the weight, size, and willow.  

The good bat will help you scare the bowlers and score tons of runs and win loads of matches for your team.

And all in all, don’t forget to enjoy cricket to the fullest.

Now that you have the perfect bat, you can also read “how to hold the bat perfectly” and get your basics right.