Me and my brother regularly play on veteran mode and play as if on co-op mode (switching the controller to each other when strike changes). We desperately tried to build our innings in many games but the hard work to get to 30 or 40 before getting out seemed not worth it. So we decided to test out the most effective way of slogging. The tips shown below are what I found to be incredibly effective.
Vs Pace bowlers:
- Going on the back foot and playing the 'aggressive' shot over third man seems the most effective shot out of all the shots in the game (in terms of runs to risk ratio). When a pace bowler bowls from over the wicket (to a right hander), I've even managed to hit a leg stump yorker over third man for six! I've only been out once to this shot, and that was because I attempted the shot to a bowler bowling around the wicket, in which case there is a slightly increased risk of getting out if the ball is slightly out side leg stump and on a yorker length. Whenever I see no third man in place, I attempt this shot and ALWAYS succeed in getting a boundary. Furthermore, going for this shot continuously means the AI puts a few fielders down at third man and leaves a big gap on the leg side, so you can go back to playing leg side flicks (which I think is probably everyones bread and butter shot) picking up 2, if not 4 runs.
- When the fielders at mid on and mid off are really close, I go for the back foot aggressive shot down the ground. Again, since we've pretty much perfected timing, we hardly ever get out when attempted this shot. We find generally going on the back foot allows you to hit any delivery ranging from yorker to back of a length over mid off and mid on. Front foot is less effective in this regard. Compared to the shot over third man though, we do occasionally edge to the keeper or completely mess up the shot. Note also to not attempt this shot if a deep midwicket is in place (he will sprint all the way to long on or off and take the catch.
- Alternatively, the extra cover aggressive shot of the back foot also works when only mid off is close and there's no extra cover or cover fielder.
- When a pace bowler goes around the wicket, it opens up square of the offside areas. Back foot aggressive shots square on the offside work well. Any delivery not on a yorker length on leg stump you won't get out to if you time your shot adequately. Don't attempt if any fielder between deep extra cover to deep point is in place.
Vs Spinners:
Much much more difficult for me to face. Personally for me, I always sweep or reverse sweep to try and get off strike.
- If you still want to risk playing attacking shots, I find going down the wicket and hitting straight works well. I haven't got the timing well enough yet, but my brother hits 110m+ sixes regularly on veteran mode. Go extra cover if only mid off is in place and close. You're pretty much done for if the spinner bowls a quicker one as well, haha. Impossible to adjust for this properly!
- Also going over fine leg on the back foot seems to work well (don't go down the wicket for this, lol).
After discovering the third man shot recently and putting that together with all the other shots I've described, I've managed consecutive 90s and a 100 in 40-50 balls playing as Bangladesh vs West Indies in Tests (much bigger scores are on the card soon I hope). My brother got a quick hundred in a T20 as well when applying these shots. If anyone even read this, remember to practice the timing of all these shots and let me know if these shots are working for you.
