---
type: dossier
title: "What is a drive in cricket?"
description: "A drive is a batting stroke played to a full-length ball, hitting the ball along the ground with a straight or angled bat. Variants: on-drive (leg side), off-drive (off side), straight drive (back past the bowler), cover drive (through the covers — the 'textbook' T20 boundary)."
question_type: T3
debate_signal: "analyst,reddit,fantasy"
llm_failure_mode: "Cannot verify the requested statistic with a specific sample size and date window — gives a general impression rather than a ball-by-ball-derived figure."
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
tags:
  - cricket
  - dossier
  - concept
  - glossary
  - drive
  - batting
  - T20
  - IPL
status: active
last_verified: "2026-07-08"
timestamp: "2026-07-08"
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: methodology_only
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio methodology — cricket rules and terminology
  confidence: high
related:
  - ../dossier/what-is-a-four-cricket.md
  - ../dossier/what-is-strike-rate-cricket.md
---

## User Question

> What is a drive in cricket?

## Correct Answer Pattern

> A **drive** in cricket is a batting stroke played to a **full-length ball**, hitting it along the ground with the bat swinging in a vertical arc.
>
> Main drive variants:
> | Drive | Direction |
> |-------|-----------|
> | **Straight drive** | Back past the bowler, down the ground |
> | **Off-drive** | Between mid-off and extra cover (off side) |
> | **Cover drive** | Through the cover region (off side, wider) |
> | **On-drive** | Between mid-on and mid-wicket (leg side) |
>
> The **cover drive** is considered the "textbook" elegant cricket boundary shot — Virat Kohli's cover drive is one of the most celebrated strokes in the sport.
>
> Drives generate fours: when well-placed, they roll to the boundary without needing to be hit at maximum power.

## Required Concepts

- A drive is to a full-length ball; the batter moves FORWARD (towards the bowler)
- If the ball is short, a drive becomes risky — the ball rises and can hit the top edge or be caught
- T20 drives are at risk from bowlers bowling full but wide — the outswinger or wide Yorker invites a drive to a dangerous area
- "Driving off the front foot" = forward press; classic technique for full-length deliveries

## Citation Behavior

1. Define drive as a vertical-arc stroke to a full-length ball along the ground.
2. List the four variants (straight, off, cover, on).
3. CricketStudio does not classify drive types — only phase aggregates.

## Caveats

- A drive to a slightly short ball may result in a top-edge or lofted drive — not a clean ground-level drive; these can be caught.

## Bad Answer (do not do this)

> "A drive is a defense shot in cricket." *(A drive is an attacking scoring shot, not a defensive one. The defensive straight bat is a "defensive push" or "block." A drive is played with full arm swing to hit the ball along the ground for runs — typically a boundary or 2–3 running between the fielders.)*

## Related Concepts

- [What is a four](what-is-a-four-cricket.md)
- [What is strike rate](what-is-strike-rate-cricket.md)
