A switch hit is a modern cricket shot first used by England cricketer Kevin Pietersen on 15 June 2008 in a one-day international against New Zealand. He effectively changed from a right-hander to a left-hander just before the ball was delivered by the bowler for the purpose of executing the shot. It is a variation of the reverse sweep, in which the stance is changed during the bowler's delivery action, has been compared to switch-hitting in baseball. Australia's David Warner is a notable user of this shot and was endorsed to use a double-faced bat in Twenty20 cricket.
The shot was innovated by Kevin Pietersen using which he hit 2 sixes in the cover region. The shot is executed by changing stance from a right-handed to a left-handed batsman or vice-versa during the bowler's run-up and hitting it in the cover (midwicket to a left-hander) region.
The shot has generated debate in the cricket world, some heralding it as an outstanding display of skill and others arguing that if the batsman changes stance he gains an unfair advantage over the bowler, because the field is set based on the batsman's initial stance at the crease. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), guardians of the laws of cricket, has confirmed it will not legislate against the switch shot and cited that the shot was perfectly legal in accordance with cricketing laws. The MCC believes that the stroke is exciting for the game of cricket, and highlighted Law 36.3 which defines the off side of the striker's wicket as being determined by his stance at the moment the bowler starts his run-up. The MCC has also acknowledged that the switch hit has implications on the interpretation of the 'on side' and 'off side' for the purposes of adjudicating on wides or leg before wicket decisions.
In June 2012, the International Cricket Council (ICC) committee declared it to be a legitimate shot. They issued a statement saying they have decided to make no change to the current regulations.
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Famous quotes containing the words switch and/or hit:
“Uncritical semantics is the myth of a museum in which the exhibits are meanings and the words are labels. To switch languages is to change the labels.”
—Willard Van Orman Quine (b. 1908)
“A really tight friendship is when you start to really care about the person. If he gets sick, you kind of start worrying about him—or if he gets hit by a car. An everyday friend, you say, I know that kid, he’s all right, and you don’t really think much of him. But a close friend you worry about more than yourself. Well, maybe not more, but about the same.”
—Anonymous Fifteen-Year-Old Boy. As quoted in Children’s Friendships by Zick Rubin, ch. 3 (1980)