Top 10 batters with best cover drives

There are numerous shots played in the game of cricket, and all of them are stunning and beautiful. As the game has evolved, players have started playing a lot of creative and innovative shots that look equally good when played. Although, no shot in cricket textbook can beat a cover drive which looks absolutely gorgeous whenever played. There is this sense of elegance about this shot that makes it even more special.

It is a proper conventional and traditional cricket shot that, when executed properly, just boosts the confidence of the batter and takes it to the next level. It takes immense skill and exceptional technique to master a cover drive. There are many players in world cricket who are masters of this shot, and a cover drive coming out of their bat is very pleasing to the eye.

To acknowledge the beauty of this shot, we thought of compiling a list of the top 10 players who hit the most eye-pleasing cover drive in cricket. The list is numbered randomly, and there is no raking given on a higher or lower basis.

1. Sachin Tendulkar (India)

The God of Cricket and one of the most technically sound batters in cricket history, Sachin Tendulkar, hits a cover drive straight out of heaven. His cover drive against Glenn McGrath is still talked about, which was a drop-dead gorgeous drive. The Master Blaster had exceptional control on this shot and did not hit it in the air even once in his 24-year cricket career.

2. Alastair Cook (England)

Alastair Cook, one of the best batters to ever step onto the field in Test match cricket, was a phenomenal player on the front foot. His cover drive was a shot everyone waited for him to play in each and every inning. The word “textbook cricket shot” best describes his fabulous cover drive.

3. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

The Sri Lankan southpaw was one of the players who hit the perfect cover drive in cricket during his career. His drive was a learning shot for every budding cricketer, as it was accurate in terms of body balance, choosing the right ball, middling the ball, and the sound of the bat when the shot was played. Sangakkara was a fantastic driver of the ball.

4. Marnus Labuschagne (Australia)

Being from a land where players generally prefer playing on the back foot, Labuschagne is a player who hits a very beautiful cover drive. He usually plays on the back foot, but as soon as he sees the ball a little fuller, he pounces on it and hits a gorgeous drive where the ball sails to the fence in no time.

5. Sourav Ganguly (India)

There is a thing about left-handed batters and elegance in cricket, and the God of off-side, Sourav Ganguly, portrayed this picture better than everyone else. His cover drives used to leave everyone awestruck and with mouths wide open. His square cut was also a perfect shot, but the cover drive was one to watch out for.

6. Virat Kohli (India)

I don’t think there is anyone in the cricket world who hits a cover drive better than the King of Cricket. The Run Machine: Kohli, who is the best all-format batter in the world currently, hits a cover drive that just looks like a push for a single but races to the boundary in no time. His body balance and eye-on-the-ball technique make his drive more luring. His cover drives are like the free kicks of Cristiano Ronaldo in football.

7. Yuvraj Singh (India)

Yuvraj Singh, one of the best all-rounders to ever play the game of cricket, was known for playing attacking shots and hitting big sixes, but he also used to play a magnificent cover drive, which looked amazing. His mastery of the shot was due to the exceptional timing he displayed in playing every shot.

8. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

The Kiwi batting legend and one of the players from the Fab Four category in cricket, Kane Williamson, has a cover drive that is filled with pure class and sound technique. Williamson is known for playing proper cricket shots in every format and in every aspect of the game. His back foot drives are really underrated, but they are also a treat to watch out for.

9. Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Probably the best Pakistani batter of all-time, Babar Azam is a modern-day great. He plays all three formats and has centuries in all of them. His best cricket shot is the eye-pleasing cover drive, which he hits with utmost elegance and beauty.

10. Joe Root (England)

The English batter hits a very good cover drive, which is right there at the top among his best cricketing shots. Root is a phenomenal red-ball player and has started playing innovative shots such as the ramp shot there, but his cover drive still remains as pretty as ever.