10 best timers of the ball right now

In this day and age, when power hitting has become the skill that almost every batsman aspires for, timing still remains the most important aspect of attacking batsmanship. However, very few batsmen have the gift of timing the ball well without much of an effort and that is what makes them special. A light push can run away to the boundary and the fielding team is often left dumbfounded.

Even now there are plenty of batsmen who are excellent timers of the ball and can hit scorching strokes with the minimal of effort. More often than not, the gift of timing also allows them to clear the ground easily and here is a look at the 10 batsmen who are the best timers of the ball at the moment.

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#10 Shaun Marsh

Australian batsman Shaun Marsh may be a lot of things but as far as the gift of timing is concerned, he is one of the very best in the world at the moment. When he first came to the international stage, it was his gift of timing that caught everyone's eye and the relative ease with which he could time his strokes.

Marsh can, of course, hit big as well but the ease with which he can send deliveries scurrying to the boundary with a gentle push is without a doubt his greatest gift and makes him one of the best timers of the ball in world cricket at the moment.

#9 Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan

Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan maybe a bit of an unorthodox player at times but one thing that stands out in his batting is his timing. Although he is also a savage cutter of the ball against fast bowlers, he can also make them tear their hair out with his impeccable sense of timing and the cover drives that he unleashes quite frequently is probably the best exhibition of this gift.

In addition to that, the 'pick up' shot that Dhawan plays over square leg also requires the player to hit the ball at just the right time and rarely does he ever mistime that difficult shot.

#8 Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay has always been known as one of the most gifted batsmen in Indian cricket, ever since he made his debut back in 2008 and after a rocky period in his career, he eventually became India's permanent opener in Test cricket. In addition to his excellent technique that allows him to play both pace and spin of all kinds with aplomb, Vijay is primarily a stroke maker and his gift of timing is often the reason why he can sometimes run away with the game.

Even the sixes that he hits off the spinners are not muscled but rather timed to perfection and more often than not, those hits clear the ground. Same goes for his boundary hitting abilities against fast bowlers.

#7 Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali

All-rounder Moeen Ali might have started off as a top order batsman but over the past two years or so, he has been relegated to the lower order and even then his gifts as a batsman have never been in doubt. More so his gift of timing and even though he bats when the ball is older, Ali hardly ever fails to time the ball to perfection and when he is on form, then almost every delivery is timed well.

As everyone knows, timing the newer, harder ball is easier but the task of doing the same when the ball is older and softer takes some serious skills as a timer. In that regard, Moeen Ali is unique and without a doubt one of the best timers of the ball in the world.

#6 Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis

Over the better part of the last decade, South African batsman Faf du Plessis has been one of the best batsmen in the world. He has a superb technique and has the patience to bat out for long periods of time without going for risky strokes. However, when he wants, he can be one of the world's most devastating stroke makers around and in addition to his range of strokes, it is his timing that allows him to take on the best bowlers in the world in shows of scintillating stroke play.

It is this innate ability to time the ball that has seen him score heaps of runs for South Africa over the years.

#5 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma

India's opener in limited overs cricket Rohit Sharma has been known for elegant batting right from the time he debuted for India at the World T20 back in 2007 and over the past few years, he has become one of the most consistent batsmen in limited overs cricket. Although he is one of the best six hitters in the world at the moment, his timing is something that makes him such a threat against the new ball and Rohit can do it with aplomb against the best bowlers in the world on a consistent basis.

It was perhaps because of his gift of timing that he was chosen to open the innings for India in limited overs cricket and the move has paid off handsomely.

#4 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

Indian batting ace and arguably the best batsman in the world, Virat Kohli has everything that one would expect from a top batsman. His temperament, mental fortitude, intelligence, and technique has brought him to the brink of greatness.

In addition to that, his superb stroke play is hugely indebted to how he can time the ball effortlessly almost at will and due to his self-confessed preference of hitting boundaries over sixes, the gift of timing is on show in every innings that he plays. Other than the signature cover drives and off drives, even his flicks past square leg are an exhibition of great timing.

Needless, his understanding of the field and the ability to place the ball exactly where he wants is also a great help.

#3 Joe Root

Joe Root

England's batting star Joe Root has proven that he can bat against the best bowlers in the world on difficult pitches and score plenty of runs. Like most of the great batsmen, Root is primarily an attacking player despite having an excellent defensive game and his attacking play is rooted in excellent shot selection coupled with excellent timing.

Root can play all the shots in the MCC batting manual and he often does that with the minimal of physical effort, since his bat meets the ball at the right time at most times. There are very few players who can time the ball as consistently as England's finest batsman at the moment.

#2 Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla

Of all the batsmen who have lit up the international stage over the past decade or so, South Africa's master batsman Hashim Amla has been a standout performer in both Tests and limited overs cricket. Amla hardly ever seems to play a shot in anger and yet, his stroke-making against the best bowlers in the world has proven to be as good as anybody else's throughout his career.

The secret obviously lies in his instinctive ability to time the ball to perfection at almost all times and he is without a doubt, he is one of the best timers of the ball in the world at the moment.

#1 Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson

The best timer of the cricket ball in the world at the moment is New Zealand's captain and the world's preeminent batsman Kane Williamson. In addition to his impeccable technique, temperament, and eyesight, Williamson uses his gift of timing to devastating effect when he bats and has quickly become one of the best batsmen in the world over the past five years or so.

Williamson can play a range of strokes and most of his attacking shots are dependent on great timing, instead of bat speed or power, as is the case with many players these days. Even in limited overs cricket, in which he needs to score quicker, he depends on 'touch play' and timing, that allows him to send the ball to the boundary with the minimum effort.