A Cricket bat is the most loyal companion to a batsman, helping him to score in the toughest of situations. Lots of people struggle to find a bat that perfectly suits them, and one of these struggles is to choose between the two most prominent bat types- Kashmir Willow and English Willow.
Both Kashmir and English Willow have their respective advantages and disadvantages, here we have simplified which bat is tailored for you, saving you tedious hours of head-scratching.
Here is a table that sums everything up:
| Kashmir Willow | English Willow |
| Good Ping off the bat | Better Ping off the bat |
| Heavier | Lighter |
| Grown in Kashmir, harder | Grown in England, softer |
| Dry in nature | Decent Moisture content |
| Grains are not clear and straight | Grains are clear and straight |
Which willow is the best for you?
Above are the features of each willow, on paper English Willow looks better, though there are multiple reasons why you can go for its Kashmir Counterpart instead.
Kashmir Willow
- Suited for beginners:
Beginners often go for the Kashmir Willow bats, since they are cheaper than English willows. You can use the Kashmir Willow to check if they are comfortable with the sport as well as to see if you are timing the ball well, many upgrade to English Willow after they are convinced about their potential.
Similarly bowlers tend to opt for Kashmir Willow and use the cuts to invest in a better pair of shoes so they can perform better.
2) You play recreationally
If you only play Cricket with your friends or in a private club with no intention of playing at higher levels of domestic Cricket, it makes more sense to invest in a bat that gets the job done.
Note that this does not mean that Kashmir Willows cannot be used in higher levels of Cricket, there are grades of Kashmir Willows that are being used in first-class Cricket as well, it all boils down to your stroke-play and how well you time the ball.
3) Budget
It is important to never exceed your budget, Kashmir Willows can help you save valuable money, Kashmir Willows are excellent when you are taking your baby steps in the sport or if you want to play just for fun.
English Willow
- You have become a good batsman
Those hours of grind have paid off, you can time the ball beautifully and score those valuable runs, it is now time to reward yourself, what better than a higher quality of bat?
2) You are playing at a better level
Everybody wants to work their way up the ladder in the domestic circuit, a higher level demands better cricketing equipment , and a batsman’s biggest asset is a bat.
Do not shy away from shelling out those extra bucks when buying an English Willow, the best investment that you can make is investing in yourself and a better bat might just make the difference between a couple runs and a boundary. Every good cricketer understands the value of those extra two runs in a match.
Above we have listed the situations and which bat to go for in those situations, it all boils down to you, your budget and your understanding of where to invest your money, a good bat will remain loyal to you for they years to come so make the choice wisely.
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