You've got to be confident on your feet out in the middle.
It doesn't matter if you are a school cricketer or one of the Men in Blue like Rahul Dravid . . . Virender Sehwag . . . or Suresh Raina.
You need to be able to launch yourself up in the air . . . leap sideways . . . boldly step or launch yourself forward to meet the ball . . . bend, retrieve and release . . . stop your body's momentum . . . get back on your feet quickly . . . go for the catches that win matches . . . and do a whole lot more.
Great footwork separates the specialist batsmen from the tail-enders. But even a specialist batsman can end up looking like a tail-ender if he feels like he's standing on ice. Running between the wickets is also vitally important. And so too is a bit of athleticism. If you are a batsman, wouldn't you be confident wearing the right shoes?
And if you are a bowler? A bowler's knees and feet suffer the most. The next time you get a chance to watch a Zaheer Khan or an Ishant Sharma in ultra slow motion on the TV, pay special attention to his feet and knees moments before he releases the ball. You can virtually feel the shock running up the bowler's legs. A good pair of shoes are in many ways a bowler's best friend.
And what if you are a wicketkeeper? Wicketkeepers are the unsung heroes of the game. Not only do they tirelessly keep wickets. Many of them are also expected to pick up the bat and prove their worth all over again. The constant running, jumping, falling, squatting, standing and scrambling behind the wickets takes a heavy toll on the feet and knees. And no sensible wicketkeeper will ever walk out to the middle without wearing a good pair of shoes that can also cushion most of the shock.
It goes without saying that fielders too need a good pair of shoes. A sloppy fielder is not a beautiful sight to behold. Makes the team lose face. Sloppy fielding doesn't sit well with the bowler. Not to mention the captain. And sloppy fielders don't last long if they are also no good in the bowling or batting department.
SG shoes are virtually designed for cricketers by cricketers. A panel of international cricketers helps SG stay one step ahead of the needs of serious cricketers.
