Picture Credit: Twitter
While the limited-overs game has certainly help evolve the kind of shots that batters play in all forms of the game, there is enough evidence to show that batters nowadays are more comfortable in playing attacking strokes, taking the aerial route to go for the big shot even if a fielder is placed there than say a few decades ago.
Another such incident happened during the Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh during which veteran cricketer and World Cup winner with Team India Piyush Chawla picked the length of the ball early, danced down the track and hit for a stroke that went over the ropes for a six.
A video of the shot has surfaced on the internet. Check it out here:
The match was being played at the Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai and Chawla's innings came at a difficult time when the team was struggling in the run chase having been given a target of 311 runs by Himachal and losing 5 wickets for 50 runs. Chawla, a veteran leg spinner and no mug with the bat, scored 65 runs from 61 deliveries at a strike rate of 106.56. However, his innings was not enough to help his side win the match as the Het Patel-led side lost by 97 runs.
Earlier, Himachal Pradesh with the help of contributions from Prashant Chopra (73 from 83 balls), Amit Kumar (72 from 62 balls) and captain Rishi Dhawan (57 from 36 balls) posted a total in excess of 300 which turned out to be more than enough on the day. Chintan Gaja was the pick of the Gujarat bowlers as he scalped 4 wickets but was a bit on the expensive side, condeding 71 runs in his 10 overs. Chawla was even tidy with the ball, scalping 2 for 57.
In the second innings, other than Chawla, only Bhargav Merai could breach the 50-run mark, making 50 runs from 70 balls as wickets fell around him. The tail did try to wag but the top order had left a lot to do for them in this game.