Puma Future 1.2 English Willow Cricket Bat Review & Buying Guide (India)
Puma's flagship Future bat lists at ₹31,967 against an MRP of ₹54,999. Who the 1.2 is actually for, how it compares with the 1.3, 2.2 and 4.1, and how to knock it in.
Puma Future 1.2 English willow cricket bat review: is the top-tier Future worth ₹31,967?
The Puma Future 1.2 English willow cricket bat sits at the top of Puma's Future range, listed at ₹31,967 against an MRP of ₹54,999. In Puma's numbering, lower is better — the 1.x tier gets the best willow clefts in the range, and the 1.2 is the flagship most serious club and district players will actually see on a shelf.
At that money you are in the same conversation as the top SG, SS and Gray-Nicolls bats. So the question is not whether it is good. It is who it is for.
What you are paying for at the 1.x tier
With English willow bats, price tracks willow grade far more than it tracks branding. The premium tiers get clefts with straighter, more evenly spaced grains, fewer blemishes, and — the part that matters on the pitch — better pressing consistency. Higher-grade willow with more grains tends to have a larger effective sweet spot, more rebound off the face, and a shorter knocking-in period.
What that buys you in play: more forgiveness on strokes struck away from the middle, and a ball that comes off faster on the ones you time properly.
Where the Future 1.2 sits in the range
| Bat | Tier | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future 1.2 | Flagship English willow | ₹31,967 | Serious club, district and league cricket on turf |
| Future 1.3 | Premium English willow | ₹22,086 | Near-flagship performance at a lower entry point |
| Future 2.2 | Upper-mid English willow | ₹16,855 | Regular club cricket, best all-round value in the range |
| Future 4.1 | Entry English willow | ₹9,299 | First leather-ball English willow bat |
Who should buy the Future 1.2
- You play regular turf-wicket cricket with a leather ball — league, district or serious club level.
- You are batting most weekends through the season, so the bat gets enough use to justify the outlay.
- You already know your preferred weight and pickup, and you want willow quality rather than a shape experiment.
- You are willing to knock in properly and maintain it. A ₹32,000 bat treated carelessly will not outlast a ₹9,000 one treated well.
Who should not
- Tennis-ball and gully players. Premium English willow is wasted on a tennis ball and will get damaged by hard tape balls. Buy a Kashmir willow or a dedicated tennis-ball bat.
- Occasional players. If you bat six times a season, the Future 2.2 at ₹16,855 gives you most of the performance for roughly half the price.
- Juniors still growing. Size changes faster than the bat wears out.
- First-time leather-ball players. Start with the Future 4.1 at ₹9,299, learn what pickup and weight you actually like, then upgrade.
Choosing weight and pickup
Weight is the spec people get wrong most often. A rough guide: light bats sit around 2lb 6oz to 2lb 8oz, medium around 2lb 9oz to 2lb 11oz, heavy from 2lb 12oz upwards. Modern professionals mostly use lighter bats that pick up well, because a well-balanced 2lb 8oz bat hits just as far as a 2lb 12oz one when the ball is timed.
Back-foot players generally prefer lighter bats; front-foot players tend to cope with more weight. If you cannot hold the bat out in front of you one-handed for ten seconds without the toe dropping, it is too heavy for you regardless of what the sticker says.
Knocking in and looking after it
Even a well-pressed premium bat needs preparing. The short version:
- Apply one thin coat of raw linseed oil to the face, edges and toe. One coat, not four.
- Knock in with a mallet for 6–8 hours total across several sessions, spending most of the time on the edges and toe.
- Progress to old, soft leather balls in the nets before facing anything new.
- Fit a toe guard and an anti-scuff sheet. On Indian grounds with abrasive run-ups and hard outfields, this is not optional.
- Store flat in a dry place, away from heat, and never in a damp bag over the monsoon.
Pair it with gloves that match the standard of cricket you are playing — the Puma Future 2.2 Batting Gloves (₹2,445) are a sensible companion.
The verdict
Buy the Puma Future 1.2 if you are a committed leather-ball batter playing weekly on turf who wants flagship willow at a real discount to MRP. Buy the Future 1.3 at ₹22,086 if you want the premium tier with less outlay. Buy the Future 2.2 at ₹16,855 if you are honest about playing club cricket a dozen times a year — it is the value pick of the range.
Shop the gear
- Puma Future 1.2 English Willow Cricket Bat — ₹31,967
- Puma Future 1.3 English Willow Cricket Bat — ₹22,086
- Puma Future 2.2 English Willow Cricket Bat — ₹16,855
- Puma Future 4.1 English Willow Cricket Bat — ₹9,299
- Puma Future 2.2 Batting Gloves — ₹2,445
Related reading
- How to Choose a Cricket Bat: A Complete Buying Guide for India
- How to Choose the Right Cricket Bat Weight
- How to Knock In a New Cricket Bat
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of the Puma Future 1.2 cricket bat in India?
It is listed at ₹31,967 on InstaSport, against an MRP of ₹54,999. It sits at the top of Puma's Future English willow range.
Is the Puma Future 1.2 good for tennis-ball cricket?
No. Premium English willow is designed for leather-ball cricket on turf and can be damaged by hard tape balls. For tennis-ball cricket, a Kashmir willow or purpose-built tennis-ball bat is the right choice.
How long does it take to knock in a premium English willow bat?
Plan on six to eight hours of mallet work spread across several sessions, concentrating on the edges and toe, followed by net sessions with old soft leather balls before facing a new ball. Higher-grade willow generally needs less knocking in than lower grades.
