Cricket Fielding and Catching Practice Gear in India: Catch Bats, Gloves and Drills
Fielding gear is the cheapest way to save runs at club level. What a catch practice bat does, how catching gloves differ from fielding gloves, and a 20-minute session plan.
Cricket fielding and catching practice gear: the cheapest runs you will ever save
Indian club sides spend lakhs on bats and almost nothing on fielding. Yet in a 40-over club game, a side that holds its catches and stops the boundary saves more runs than its top order usually scores. Fielding practice gear is the least glamorous and highest-return category in cricket — a catch bat, a pair of catching gloves and twenty minutes of structured drills cost less than one mid-range pad set.
Here is what to buy, what each item is actually for, and how to build a fielding session that club players will not hate.
What is a catch practice bat, and why does every club need one?
A catch bat — sometimes called a catching or fielding bat — has a long, narrow blade designed to flick or slap a ball high, flat or hard on demand. Compared with a coach throwing by hand:
- Repeatable trajectories. You can produce the same steepling catch twenty times in a row, which is how catching actually improves.
- Realistic pace. A hard slap off willow arrives at match speed, unlike an underarm throw.
- Range. Slip catches, high catches, flat drives at the ring and skiers to the deep, all from the same tool.
- The coach's shoulder survives. A season of throwing high catches by hand wrecks rotator cuffs.
The SS R-7 English Willow Catch Practice Bat at ₹1,208 is the standard club option: English willow, long narrow profile, light enough to swing for a full session.
Catching gloves vs fielding gloves: what is the difference?
Catching gloves
Lightly padded, close-fitting gloves for high-volume catching drills. They take the sting out of repeated hard catches so players can do 200 reps instead of 40, and they protect fingers on cold mornings and hard grounds. They are practice gear, not match gear — most formats do not allow outfielders to wear them in a game.
The SG HP 33 Cricket Catching Gloves at ₹463 are the practical club choice for slip cordon and high-catching sessions.
Fielding gloves
Thinner, grippier and more flexible, built for ball-handling and support rather than impact absorption. The Tynor Fielding Gloves at ₹398 suit throwing drills and players returning from finger injuries who want light support.
Wicket keeping gloves
A different category entirely — heavily padded with webbing between thumb and index finger. If your keeper is using catching gloves, fix that first. The SG RP17 Club Cricket Keeping Gloves at ₹1,439 cover club-level keeping properly.
A 20-minute fielding session that actually works
| Drill | Time | Gear |
|---|---|---|
| High catches, rotating queue | 5 min | Catch bat, catching gloves |
| Slip cordon, low fast edges | 5 min | Catch bat, catching gloves |
| Flat drives at the ring, one-hand pickup | 5 min | Catch bat |
| Throwing at a single stump | 5 min | Fielding gloves optional |
Two rules make this work. First, keep everyone moving — a queue of eleven players standing still is why fielding practice gets skipped. Second, count and call out successful catches; unmeasured practice becomes casual within minutes.
Buying notes for Indian conditions
- Hard grounds bruise hands. On matting and bare-earth grounds, catching gloves are worth more than they cost.
- Sweat kills grip. Buy two pairs of catching gloves for a squad and rotate them through a session.
- Store the catch bat like a match bat. English willow still cracks if left in a car boot in May.
- Sizing. Catching gloves should be snug. Loose gloves shift on impact and cost you the catch.
- Wash and shade-dry. Never dry gloves in direct sun — the leather and foam stiffen.
What a club fielding kit costs
A complete fielding kit for a club side is modest: one catch bat at ₹1,208, two pairs of catching gloves at ₹463 each, and a pair of fielding gloves at ₹398 puts you at roughly ₹2,500. Add a proper pair of keeping gloves at ₹1,439 and you are under ₹4,000 for equipment the whole squad uses every week. Compare that with a single English willow match bat and the maths makes itself.
Shop the gear
- Tynor Fielding Gloves — ₹398
- SG HP 33 Cricket Catching Gloves — ₹463
- SS R-7 English Willow Catch Practice Bat — ₹1,208
- SG RP17 Club Cricket Keeping Gloves — ₹1,439
Related reading
- Cricket Inner Gloves Explained: Why They Matter More Than You Think (India)
- Best Wicket Keeping Gloves in India: How to Choose the Right Pair
- How to Choose a Cricket Kit Bag: A Buying Guide for India
Frequently asked questions
What is a catch practice bat used for in cricket?
A catch bat has a long narrow blade that lets a coach produce repeatable high catches, flat drives and slip edges at match pace. It gives far more consistent practice than throwing by hand and saves the coach’s shoulder.
Are catching gloves and fielding gloves the same?
No. Catching gloves are lightly padded to absorb repeated impact during high-volume catching drills, while fielding gloves are thinner and grippier for ball handling and light support. Both are practice gear, not match gear.
Can fielders wear gloves in a cricket match?
Generally no. Under the Laws of Cricket only the wicket keeper may wear gloves in a match. Catching and fielding gloves are for practice sessions and drills.
