Pull Shot vs Leg Glance: Difference and Comparison

Every batsman has a distinct technique and style that distinguishes his or her shots from those of other players. Certain shots, however, have distinct names such as the draw shot, hook shot, or cover drive, among others.

That’s what we will accomplish here. We will deal with the pull shot and leg glance at when you should execute them, how you should play them, and where you should strike them.

Key Takeaways

1. A pull shot is a cricket batting technique in which the batsman hits a short-pitched delivery horizontally, targeting the leg-side boundary. At the same time, a leg glance is a delicate shot played by deflecting a ball on or outside the leg stump towards the fine leg area.
2. The pull shot is an aggressive, powerful stroke that requires good timing and strength, while the leg glance is a more subtle, controlled shot that relies on precision and finesse.
3. Both shots are used to score runs in cricket and can be employed strategically depending on the bowler’s delivery and the batter’s skill set.

Pull Shot vs Leg Glance

The difference between a pull shot and a leg glance is that a pull shot is a shot played to the leg side to a short delivery between mid-wicket and backward square-leg. On the other hand, a leg glance is a hit made by a batsman with a vertical bat that deflects the ball behind the field’s square leg area.

The pull shot is an aggressive cricket shot that is cross-batted and executed off the back foot. This implies that in an attempt to hit the shot, the batsman will move reasonably close to their stumps.

When played over deliveries that are between hip and shoulder level as they hit the batsman, the shot is most powerful.

The leg glance is a shot that ends up playing to a long-length ball, which is on the batsman’s pads. The shot is taken from behind the square leg.

The shot is distinguished by the batsman closing the face of the bat after an encounter. If the batsman decides to close the face too soon when attempting to play the shot, leading edges can form, creating catching opportunities.

Comparison Table

Parameter of comparison	Pull Shot	Leg Glance
Delivery	Short-of-length deliveries.	Leg-stump delivery.
Region	From mid-wicket to fine-leg regions.	Towards the fine leg region.
Pitch of ball	Between the waist and the shoulder.	At knee height or lower.
Foot movement	The front foot or back foot depends on the batsman’s ability.	The front or back foot depends on the ball’s length.
Best player	Rohit Sharma.	Sachin Tendulkar, Mark Waugh.

What is a Pull Shot?

In cricket, a pull shot is classified as a cross-batted shot. It is performed on the back foot, with the batsman shifting weight to the back leg and evaluating the bounce of the ball off short-pitched deliveries.

It is better to play this shot whenever the bounce of the ball isn’t quite so high, i.e. between the batsman’s shoulder and hip. To limit the pull shot, the batsman must swivel on the back foot; or else, it will balloon up in the air for a quick catch.

If they take up the length speedily and rock back to hit the ball on the leg side, several players can draw balls from the back of a perfect delivery as well.

If the pull shot is effective, the ball will finish up someplace in front of the square, near mid-wicket, or behind the square, near the square leg or deep square leg border.

It is crucial to highlight that the ball’s line is around the middle and leg stump. Some players will lift the ball from outside the offside zone, but this is a riskier shot.

Batsmen must aim to practice in the nets to enhance their pull shot. They should instruct the bowlers to repetitively give short or back-of-length deliveries at them, and they should continue to take the ball with the intent of holding it down.

When faced with a sufficient number of deliveries, the body will instantly respond to such deliveries in real-life match scenarios.

What is Leg Glance?

The leg glance, also known as the hip glance, is a beautiful straight-batted hit shot at a ball aimed at the leg side. The hip glance is so named since it appears as if the ball is traveling apart from the player’s leg or hip.

This shot was created by Maharaja Ranjitsinhji.

Since it is dependent on the pace of the ball, the front foot leg glance seems more of a deflection than a stroke. The bat’s face is sloped instead of straight due to a sweep of the wrists at the point of impact.

Make sure your head should be over the ball and your weight is on your front foot. This will hold the ball down rather than cruising around in the air.

You should concentrate on your pace when playing the front foot leg glance. To begin, with your head and front shoulder marginally twisted towards the line of the ball, place your weight on the bent front leg.

Then, in a straight line, bring your bat through, attempting to turn the bat face a little to the leg side and creating contact with the ball in front of the front pad. Manage the shot with your top hand, striking the ball away.

Main Differences Between Pull Shot and Leg Glance

1. Pull shot is played in short length delivery while leg glance requires leg stump delivery.
2. Pull shot is played from mid-wicket to fine-leg regions while leg glance is played towards fine leg region.
3. Pull shot is played on a ball pitched between the waist and the shoulder of the batsman while leg glance is played when ball is pitched at knee height or lower.
4. While playing pull shot, front foot or back foot depends on the batsman’s ability. While in leg glance it depends on the ball’s length.
5. The best player for pull shot is Rohit Sharma while for Leg glance it is Sachin Tendulkar and Mark Waugh.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12283-012-0087-6
2. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-9181-1_10

Last Updated : 24 July, 2023