3 Most innovative batsmen in the cricketing world

Modern-day batting has two dimensions- the classic version of the game with traditional strokes and running hard between wickets or the slog version where the bat is swung hard and shots are played all over the ground.

New shots started to come up as the number of ODIs and T20Is began to increase and Tillakaratne Dilshan became the first exponent of the 'Dil Scoop' and ABD, Glenn Maxwell and Jos Buttler became 360-degree players.

Bowling too has advanced over time and many leading cricketers have said that bowlers must adapt to the variety of shots that the batsmen are playing. Death bowling has become an art and specialist bowlers are being sought after by T20 teams all around the world. The knuckle ball, leg cutter, slider and the carrom ball are the latest editions and an indication that cricket as a game is evolving and so are the players.

Good technique and talent are not enough and the players need to have at least some creativity while few blessed players have a lot of it in store. We have seen many instances where players try to be cheeky and play an innovative shot and perish while few players execute them to perfection.

Here are some of the world's most innovative batsman currently.

Honorable Mention: Eoin Morgan- The former England captain was known for his reverse sweeps and delicate paddles on the off side, his destructive abilities though don't match with the players on this list.

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#3 Glenn Maxwell (Australia)

Glenn Maxwell playing a reverse sweep

Maxwell came into prominence with his excellent performances in IPL 2014 when he played for Kings XI Punjab. Alongside captain George Bailey and South African David Miller, Maxwell was a key part of their drive to the finals. Maxwell has not had a great IPL career since then but still remains one of the best T20 cricketers and has played a few great knocks in ODI cricket as well.

Maxwell has a great T20 career record with over 4500 runs at a decent average of 26 and a destructive strike rate of 157. He has twenty-three 50s and two 100s in T20s. One key reason is that he is a man with a gifted ability to strike the ball and hits clean, long sixes. He is also one of the most innovative batsmen of the era. He specializes in playing the reverse sweep or the switch hit as well as the scoop shot over the keeper's head.

His talent is on another level so much so that he can reverse sweep a pace bowler and can play shots standing well outside off stump. After IPL 2014, Maxwell hasn't had such a great IPL career but is still one of the best in the business. He is ranked 6th in the ICC T20 rankings for batsmen and is 1st in all-rounders rankings.

#2 Jos Buttler (England)

Jos Buttler playing a paddle shot

The wicket-keeper batsman has evolved into a player who can play in all formats of the game. He is also one of the most creative and innovative players and can play shots all around the ground. He made high ground in last season's IPL when he opened the batting and scored 428 runs in six innings for the Rajasthan Royals enabling them to reach the playoffs.

He has slowly started his ascent in the ICC Rankings as well and has moved up from 42nd position to 19th position in ODIs and from 64th to 22nd in Test Rankings. He has become hot property in T20 leagues all over the world and is a vital cog in the England national side.

He can play almost every shot in the book and has a very good switch hit and paddle sweep. He also goes way outside off stump and scoops the ball above the keeper and always finds a way to score, which makes him a good finisher as well.

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#1 AB De Villiers ( South Africa)

AB De Villiers

Widely regarded as one of the best cricketers in the world, De Villiers can strike fear into the hearts of any bowler. His arsenal of shots is unmatched and he is one player who plays the same way on all pitches and is very consistent.

One of the IPL greats and a fan favorite in India, 'MR. 360' can play all the shots in the book while continuously inventing more. His records and contributions to the Royal Challengers Bangalore alongside Virat Kohli have made him a special cricketer.

He recently announced his retirement from international cricket but much to the delight of his fans, said that he'll continue playing T20 cricket in leagues all over the world. He has 8765 runs in test matches, 9577 ODI runs at an average of 53 and strikes rate of 101.50 which is phenomenal. He has an even better T20 record, 6649 runs at an average of 39 and strike rate of 152.

He plays the reverse sweep, switch hit, paddle sweep, paddle scoop and goes for the delicate flicks and chips over players standing in the circle and can also play the conventional shots very well. Known for his destructive big hitting, this star will look to perform for his side Tshwane Spartans in the Mzanzi Super League in South Africa where he smashed a 31 ball 93 in a warm-up game.