In Cricket, taking guard refers to where the batter stands when he or she is taking a batting stance. It basically refers to the feet’s position and is used as a point of reference. There are different guards that a batter can take and is usually signaled by a number from 1-5 with its respective meanings. Taking guard helps the batter to take the best possible position to play the ball.
Why Batsmen Take Guard?
It is important for batsmen to take guard to make sure that they are standing on the same position for all the deliveries that a certain bowler makes. This is done by scratching a mark on the pitch using their boot every time a batter goes out to bat. The batter will then place their feet behind the line.Taking guard helps a batter to get into a consistent batting rhythm. It will also help him identify which balls to leave alone and which balls to hit. Even though the aim of the batter is to hit balls and score runs, a good player knows when he or she should hit the ball or leave it alone. This is made even simpler for a batter when he or she takes guard.
Another reason why a batter takes guard is to be able to put their head in a good position when the bowler starts to deliver the ball. When the head and eyes are in line with the off stump, things are made much simpler and better for the batsman.