Cricket used to be a gentleman’s game. But with the advent of white ball cricket, the necessity to hit out rose manifolds. That was when the cricket equipment manufacturer came out with the Mongoose bat.
We will look at what a mongoose bat is – its history and some instances of it grabbing the headlines.
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What is a Mongoose Bat?
A mongoose bat is quite different from a conventional bat as it has a long handle but a shorter blade. The blade is 33 percent shorter than the traditional bats used today.
How did the Mongoose Bat come into the Limelight?
It came into existence for the first time when former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden, turning up for Chennai Super Kings, used it for the first time during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2010 season. That was when it gained popularity.
Mongoose Bat and Conventional Bats: Differences
A Mongoose bat has plenty of differences compared to conventional bats. We list a few differences:
- Long Handle: It had a 43% long handle, making its grip much easier.
- Lighter: Mongoose bats are lighter than conventional bats.
- Structure: The structure of the bat ensures that the sweet spot is enhanced by 120%.
The shorter blade in the mongoose bat has more percentage of wood than a conventional bat which means the batter can dig out the yorker with a significant impact, often getting a boundary in the process.
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How did it help Batters?
It sure did help batters since the blades are shorter, but only when you want to play aggressively. Since it has a long handle, players can easily grip it and use it to whack the ball. It was revolutionary in those times.
Back in 2010, when Hayden used it, he used it in the latter parts of his innings. He used to play the initial part of his innings with the traditional bat, which would help him settle down, and then he would go berserk with the mongoose bat, effectively increasing the team’s run rate.
Mongoose Bat Myths
People think that the mongoose bat came into existence in 2010 when Hayden used it for the first time, but that is not true. According to movie 83, which depicts India’s maiden and historic World Cup triumph in 1983, then India captain and World Cup hero Kapil Dev used the mongoose bat in the match against Zimbabwe, scoring a stunning 175*.
Why did Mongoose Bat Disappear?
The Mongoose bat didn’t live up to the excitement after a while. We look at a few reasons why the bat faded away:
- The likes of Suresh Raina and others reviewed it and found it challenging when it comes to playing defensive cricket. Since the blade was short, you couldn’t defend the ball, leading to edge or catches in the slip cordon.
- Some players felt that batters would be in great trouble while playing with it on an uneven pitch where the bounce couldn’t be trusted.
- Since big players stopped playing with the bat, the fans also stopped enquiring about it as it vanished from public view.
Though the Mongoose bat is no longer used in cricket, it was entertaining when Hayden used it and played entertaining knocks in the 2010 season.
Concluding Thoughts
The mongoose bat became prominent in 2010 when Matthew Hayden started using it during IPL. It was great news for the bat manufacturer as a top player from an IPL franchise used it. Nevertheless, by the end of 2011, it vanished without a trace as players stopped using it.
