Kashmir Willow vs English Willow | Cricket Bat Willow Leave a comment

Do you know, different types of woods are used in the manufacturing of a cricket bat? The most common wood type that is used all over the world is willow. The cricket bats which are manufactured using the wood type Willow are among the top 10 cricket bats. If you are a cricket lover, then you must be knowing that the top 10 bats are manufactured using only two types of willows. The first is Kashmir Willow and the second is English Willow. Willow is the only type of wood that can give the compression and strength required for a cricket bat. Popular cricket bats are made of these two willows only.

Now, the question arises, what is the difference between a Kashmir willow vs English willow?

The most common difference between these two cricket batsis the colour. The best English willow cricket bats are white in colour while the Kashmir willow cricket bats are brownish. Also, the grain density is higher in English willow bat as compared to a Kashmir willow bat. These two types of cricket bats are most common in the market. Even sometimes the English willow grades are much beneficial than Kashmir willow.

We will discuss the further differences through a chat that may help you choose the correct one for you:

Which Type Of Selected Willow Bat Is Correct For Me?

Now you must be thinking which type is better for me, Kashmir willow cricket bat or English willow cricket bat. Here, we are defining both of them one by one:

Kashmir Willow:

As you know that English willow is of superior quality, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect Kashmir willow totally. There might be some stances where Kashmir willow proved to be a better option than English willow. If you think your requirements fall in one of the categories mentioned below, then Kashmir cricket bat is better to use:

1. Beginner: If you fall in the beginner’s category, then Kashmir willow bats are a much better option. I want to  tell you with my personal experience that the first bat which I used as a 10 years old boy was a Kashmir willow, which, I think, is perfect at the early age of playing cricket. A Kashmir Willow bat is the most suitable if you  want to improve your batting skills, and after that, you can possibly decide to move to the best cricket bat English willow quality.
2. You play recreationally: If you are among those people who enjoy recreational cricket matches with friends, then Kashmir willow is the best option. You can easily pick up the best Kashmir willow cricket bat of supreme quality, which will help to compete better in your tournament matches. The main reason is, the best Kashmir willow bats are cheaper as compared to the best English willow bats, which is what you might be looking for, as you just want to play the game for fun.
3. Budget: This links with the other two points. Playing as a beginner and looking to improve your batting skills, the best option for you is to purchase a Kashmir willow cricket bat of a cheaper cost. If you enjoy playing recreationally, then the same reason is suitable to use a Kashmir willow bat. If you have a tight budget, then you should go for the best Kashmir willow cricket bat. So, it is quite understandable that Kashmir willow bat price is cheaper than the English cricket bats.

English Willow:

As discussed earlier, English willow cricket bat is lighter in nature and can be renowned from a Kashmir willow cricket bat. There are some instances mentioned below that can make you understand that English willow is perfect for you:

1. Skills have been proven: Once your skills have been developed, perfecting a wide variety of shots, then it is the time that you should upgrade to Cricket Bats English Willow. This is an important factor if your daughter or son plays cricket, as it will be easy for you to make the judgment when they are prepared to move to English cricket bats.
2. Higher Level of Cricket: Do you want to be among the best cricket players so that you can play at a competitive level? If yes, then you will need a high-performance bat of best quality. English willow bat contains a number of grains; these grains are more visible as compared to a Kashmir willow bat. Grains are the types of lines that are visible from top to bottom on the face of bat. These lines define the quality of the bat. The more in numbers and straighter they are, the better will be the quality. The stroke in a leather bat English willow is more prominent, which is perfect at that level you want to play. Also, in an English willow cricket bat, you have to consider the sweet spot, which is larger and more prominent, along with size and height. It is quite normal that a regular adult cricketer playing at a reasonable standard will select to play with an English willow bat only.
3. Budget: Like Kashmir willow bats, it is important to consider a budget for the best English willow cricket bats also. The quality of English willow bats varies, so as the price, but the manufacturers place great importance
   on the quality of bats. The price at which you are looking connects with two points, the bigger your aspiration will be, the better quality of cricket bat you will be looking for. English willow bat price is slightly higher than the Kashmiri bat; so, look at your budget and decide. However, never compromise on English willow cricket bat price if you get the best quality from it.

Also read: Cricket Bat Sizes | Cricket Bat Dimensions

Kashmir Willow or English Willow?

The final question is still the same, whether you want to choose Kashmir willow or English willow. Well, the choice will depend on the individual only. A cricketer who is playing just for fun and enjoyment will have different needs as compared to a professional cricketer who plays at a very competitive level. An English willow cricket bat is indeed a better quality, but there are certain instances that can make a Kashmir willow bat an exceptional option!