Footwork problems are almost never SPEED problems — they are decision problems that show up in the feet. A batter who reads length early looks quick-footed at half the effort; a batter who decides late looks slow on the fastest legs in the club. The fix is a still, balanced base at release, an early forward-or-back call, and the discipline to commit fully rather than hedge on the crease.
Moving before the ball is bowled. A big early trigger still in motion at release means your weight is committed before you know the length — every ball then looks too quick.
The half-step. Neither forward to the pitch nor back to the stumps: stranded on the crease, playing the ball at the worst possible distance. Half-forward is where edges live.
Feet pointing the wrong way. A front foot planted at mid-on closes you off; the hips can't open and every off-side ball becomes a reach.
Watch a good club batter and count the steps: fewer than you think.
Shadow forward-back on a call. Have anything call 'up' or 'back' (a partner, a metronome app, a wall rebound) and commit fully each way — ten minutes builds the decision habit without a ball.
One-line drop-ball. Drop or bounce a ball on a length, stride to the pitch of it, defend. The measure is whether your head finishes over the ball, not how fast the foot moved.
Tennis-ball wall work. Off the wall, the ball's length varies naturally — read, commit, play. See the tennis-ball practice guide for the full setup.
Speed drills help sprinters; batters need earlier decisions. If your feet feel slow, film one over and watch when your first movement STARTS — almost always the problem is a late or unfinished trigger, not slow legs. Fix the timing of the decision and the same feet look quick.
Against spin, forward (smother the turn); against genuine pace, back more than feels natural (buy time). Against medium pace, no default at all — a rehearsed neutral base and an honest read. A pre-decided front press is fine as a trigger only if you can still push back off it.
Still enough that your head is level and not travelling. A small rhythm movement is fine — plenty of good players tap or press — but it must be FINISHED as the bowler lets go. If the ball is released while you're mid-move, you are choosing your shot before you've seen the delivery.
Sticks works anywhere you can swing a bat — at the nets, or at home with nobody bowling. It watches through your phone and speaks this kind of coaching out loud, one focus per shot — in English or Hindi. Video never leaves your phone, and it's free while Sticks is in beta.