India’s wicketkeeper batsman MS Dhoni surprised a lot of his fans, as in this series against Sri Lanka, MS Dhoni has changed a lot of things about his batting and himself.
Most noticeable was Dhoni’s change of pads. Usually, MS Dhoni has worn the unique shaped Morrant pads which are known for their two straps in limited overs format. These pads are very light when compared to the conventional pads and helps batsmen in running fast.
However Sunil Jajodia, executive of the Morrant Group Ltd said,” I can’t comment on why Dhoni has switched pads at this time but our representative in India will no doubt speak with him in due course.”
He said, “The unique two strap design was developed so the top strap sits comfortably on the calf. The Unique moulding of the pads means an additional top strap behind the knee (as seen on conventional pads) is not necessary as our pads hold their shape without it”.
MS Dhoni has always preferred the Morrant pads and was seen using them against the West Indies recently. But against Sri Lanka, he switched to regular pads with 3 straps for fastening.
“Conventional pads are generally constructed with cane rods as the core of the protection surrounded by either cotton fibres or HD foam or a combination of the two.The shape of such pads is achieved through stitching patterns and the shape around the leg is maintained by the conventional three strap system around the ankle, calf and knee”.
“Approx weight of a top of the range conventional batting pad would be around 850-950g per pad (standard mens size)”, he added.
Users of Morrant pads in Indian cricket have been players like Sunil Gavaskar, who brought the brand in India and Sachin Tendulkar, who popularized the brand. Other cricketers to use these pads are Ajay Jadeja, R Ashwin, Sourav Ganguly, and Arjuna Ranatunga amongst others.
“The key benefit of these pads is the weight when compared to conventional pads, with one pad weighing under 450g (standard mens size). This dramatic reduction in weight allows for faster footwork when positioning for shots and of course a faster pace between the wickets”, Jajodia said.
