To Bat First Or Bowl First – How Does A Cricket Team Captain Decide?

We Indians are crazy when it comes to cricket. Right from IPL to test matches and now the virtual platform for playing online cricket games, we indulge in the game so much. And given the current situation, it is better to stay at home and enjoy online gaming platforms for virtual cricket rather than stepping out.

It is needless to say that the surge in usage of online gaming has increased manifolds ever since the pandemic has started. To know about its upside, you can read this write-up by Forbes.

We would be talking about how a cricket team captain decides whether to bat first or bowl first. While this has been an age-old debate topic with plenty of controversies involved, we would introduce you to some new pointers.

All of us are very excited about the toss that happens just before the match begins. This is when the captains of the two teams get to win or lose a toss. The captain who wins the toss gets to choose whether to bowl or bat first. If a team loses even after winning a toss, cricket viewers also talk about whether the captain has taken the right decision or not.

But what is the logic behind it? How does it impact the result of the match?

These are a few questions that you need to validate before you play on virtual gaming websites.

The captain needs to make an informed decision after considering the extra edge he has over the other team.

Advantages/ disadvantages of batting first or second

• There are various benefits and disadvantages of both batting first and second. One of the first things that we would like to tell you is that batting second means that the team must fulfill a particular target of runs to chase. They can strategize their batting for the innings and take care of the approach based on this target. If the target runs are too high, then they need to be aggressive right from the very beginning. On the other hand, if it is not too much, they can relax and not be so fierce.
• In this case, they can easily take singles and twos with a boundary in between on loose balls.
• The team batting second gets this advantage when compared to the team batting at first.
• However, in this regard, it should be considered that if the run is too high, this becomes a disadvantage. If the opposition is bowling well, it could be pretty tricky to win. If the pressure is too much, it is evident for any team to start playing rash strokes. This could lead to a lot of mistakes and loss of wickets.
• Now we will talk about the team batting first. In this case, they do not have a specific target to chase. They need to set a target for the opponents. The advantage, in this case, is that they do not have a huge target to meet. This is the reason why they can play freely and apply their strategies.

• However, the disadvantage is that they need to decide how many runs to make and how many targets they should set for the competitors. The team that would be batting first has to make all the attempts to set a good target. A few cricket patches might favor bowlers, which should be kept in mind.

They should not blindly have a vast target set in their minds.

Factors to consider while making the decision.

A team captain needs to consider every aspect when he has to make the decision.

He should have the answer ready beforehand after studying a few things.

• Team trend and history record: One of the first things that he should keep in mind is the performance of his team players. The recent trends would give him a rough idea of whether to bat first or not. He should consider the strength of the team and go with the same. He should think about whether the team would handle pressure while battling second batting second or not.
• Weather conditions: Secondly, the captain must consider the weather conditions, which play a huge role. If it is a day match and it has rained during the previous night, then the pitch will indeed have some moisture. This would favor bowlers to swing the bowl. This can be an advantage if they have good bowlers in their team. Other factors that should be taken into consideration include wet pitch, breezy weather conditions, etc.

• Day match or night match: This is yet another thing that he needs to consider. In the day-night game, the team which gets to bat second has to deal with artificial floodlights. On the other hand, the team batting first bats in natural daylight.
• Pitch conditions: As mentioned before, pitch condition is also an essential factor. The pitch may be fresh or may not be. There could be moisture in the pitch or not. Any captain winning the toss must take full advantage of the pitch conditions. He should also study whether the pitch has got some cracks or not.

If you have watched cricket matches, you will see commentators studying the pitch as well. In this case, a team bowling second will have the edge over the other team as the ball will spin more for the spinners because of the cracks on the pitch. This will help fast bowlers.

• Rain interruption: This is a part of the weather condition point only. If there has been a forecast of rain, then the captain must decide to bat second. This is mainly because rain the team batting second may have a lower number of overs to cover. The target is generally revised in this case.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, these are a few reasons that the captain winning the toss must remember while making his decision. He needs to consider various factors when it comes to deciding whether to bat or bowl first. A sensible and responsible cricket team captain will analyze every element beforehand only. He should be ready with his decision in the most informed wave.