Cricket is a game that requires skill, dedication and tactics, but there’s always a little stroke of luck involved. Many rely heavily on superstitions and rituals to improve their performance on and off the field. They have many quirky rituals, from their gloves to the way they enter the pitch.

Here’s one that is not only used in international-level cricket but also in domestic levels. The infamous “bail switch” is when the fielding team switches the position of the bails when things aren’t going in their favour. Some players strongly believe it helps shift momentum during a tough match. You’ll often see the wicketkeeper or captain casually switching the bails when no one is looking, just in case! And to be frank, even i have done this in my matches when wickets were not falling.

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Another famous ritual belongs to legendary Australian captain Steve Waugh, who always carried a small red handkerchief in his pocket. Similarly, the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar always wore his left pad first, which became a part of his pre-match ritual. Even Virat Kohli, regarded as one of the world’s best, once admitted to having a favourite pair of gloves and shoes which he wore when he was in form, and he believed changing them would break his rhythm.

Rituals aren’t just restricted to individuals; entire teams and coaching staff follow some, like the “jinx-lock”, mainly followed by India and Sri Lanka is when they have to be silent in the dressing room, i.e no talking, moving or changing seats until the next wicket. Another famous one is in India’s 2011 ODI WC tournament, where M.S. Dhoni’s side refused to shift their seats or change the routine timings, similar to South Africa in the 2000s, who tried to keep the same warm-up drills, even to the catching order. 

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Others like Inzamam-ul-Haq were known for reciting prayers or verses before facing their first ball. In today’s age with advanced tech and stats, these small rituals remind us that it’s not all in the technicalities, it’s about belief. If it’s a red hanky or the bail switch, if it gives the team confidence… maybe it does make a difference.