There probably millions (or even billions) of people that regularly follow at least one sport. However, it is good to mention that not all sports are equally popular in all parts of the world. For instance, basketball is popular in the USA, east and southeast Europe. On the other hand, football/soccer is popular in almost all parts of the world.
So, what about cricket? Cricket may not be one of the sports that people in all parts of the world are regularly following or playing. It is popular the most in India, Australia, Great Britain, etc. However, just because cricket is not popular in some countries, that doesn’t mean there are no people that wouldn’t like to play it professionally or recreationally.
If you want to play cricket, the first thing you should do is to understand the rules. Yet, if you are a big lover of this sport, then we are sure you already know them. Another thing you need to have in mind is purchasing the necessary equipment. How much you will spend on that is up to you and your budget.
There is one doubt that most people have – they are not sure whether batting gloves are necessary when playing cricket. Well, believe it or not, the answer to that question is no. You don’t need them, but if you buy them, there are many benefits you can get. More precisely, playing cricket is going to be much more comfortable. If you are not sure which advantages you can get, then the list below will probably be valuable for you. There is a big chance you will change your way of thinking.
Batting Gloves Are an Excellent Shock Absorber
If you play cricket regularly, then you have definitely experienced the stinging in your hands. This happens because of the vibrations that appear whenever you make a contact with the ball with your bat. However, the good news for you is that batting gloves can absorb that vibration and make the cricket more comfortable.
Keep in mind this is not going to solve your problem completely. Some sense of sting will exist even if you wear the most expensive batting gloves in the world. However, they have the strength to reduce that sense and help you achieve better results.
They Can Help You with Grip
Bat grip is one of the main problems that cricket players who do not wear batting gloves have. This type of problem especially appears during the summer, and we can agree that is the main period of the year when people enjoy this sport (or any other). Anyway, during the summer, our hands become too sweaty. Because of that, you need something that will ensure you have a proper grip, and batting gloves are the best option you have. If you wear them, there is a big chance you won’t accidentally let go of the bat. Doesn’t this seem like an excellent advantage?
You Get a Good Level of Protection
Well, protection is one of the main things people take care of when playing sports. It doesn’t matter if you plan to play cricket as a professional or from time to time. You need to ensure your hands are completely safe. One of the ways to protect your hands is by purchasing batting gloves.
Things become more interesting when you find out that you can protect your hands in two different scenarios – as a runner and during the at-bat. Let’s explain this a bit better.
If you are batting, then you can be sure the gloves will protect your hands from blisters. Players that have experienced the pain caused by blisters know how uncomfortable this can be. Fortunately, this type of gloves gives your the necessary protection. There is some sort of barrier between the hands and bat, and getting a blister will be almost impossible.
On the other hand, if you are a runner, then you will get the necessary protection when you are sliding for a base. Burns on the hands you will feel in this case can be quite painful and uncomfortable. However, if you wear gloves, you won’t have to experience something like that.
How Should I Wear Batting Gloves?
Another thing people often do not know is how exactly they should wear batting gloves. As you probably know, players often use gloves when they are hitting, and that is something you should do as well. However, if you want to wear them while fielding, that option is available to you as well.
Let’s analyze the leagues around the world. The majority of professional cricket leagues allow fielders to wear batting gloves. However, they can only do that on the hand they are using for throwing. On the other hand, the rules do not allow pitchers to do the same.
Some people believe that wearing a glove on the throwing hand will reduce the quality of throwing skills. Yet, we can’t say something like this is correct; this depends only on the personal preference of each individual that plays as a fielder.
Are All Batting Gloves I Can Find Good?
It would be unfair to say that all the batting gloves you can find online are perfect. Some online stores are trying to invest less money in the quality of the gloves and profit out of them even more. That is the reason why we invite you to be careful when you are choosing the store and model you plan to purchase. If you need additional tips or pieces of advice for this part, then we recommend you check out websites like khelsales.com and see some of the models that deserve your attention.
Final Thought
Let’s make some sort of conclusion before we end this article. As we said, no one says that you MUST wear batting gloves when playing cricket. However, wearing them will ensure that you get the necessary protection and improve the quality of your playing. Logically, not all the models you find online are going to bring the same benefits. Because of that, we are sure you will change your way of thinking after reading this article. Purchasing good quality batting gloves is a long-term investment, so we recommend you don’t hesitate.