5 Most Controversial Bats In Cricket History (2025 List)

The game of cricket has witnessed all sorts of controversies, so much so that even a few bats were the primary reason for their stirring. 

Every batter is particular about the bat he or she uses. The overall weight, balance, and dimensions of the grips are all considered. But, to squeeze out runs with the bat, some players used customized bats that later caused a major controversy.

Over the years, several players have tried to walk a different path when using the standard bats for the game, despite ICC’s strict guidelines, which were once quite blurry.

Let’s look at the most controversial bat in the history of cricket.

Overview: 5 Most Controversial Bats In Cricket History

The table below provides an overview of the top 5 bats the game of cricket has witnessed over the years, the reason they were controversial, and the last player that used it. 

Bats	Controversial for	Last used by
The Monster Bat	The width of the willow could cover all three stumps.	Thomas White
The Aluminium Bat	Damaging the ball	Dennis Lillee
The Carbon Graphite Bat	Extra unfair power	Ricky Ponting
The Mongoose Bat	The design and extended hitting surface	Matthew Hayden
The Black Bat	Changing the color of the ball	Andre Russell

5 Most Controversial Bats In Cricket History

The game of cricket has witnessed the use of some of the most unusual bats. The list below showcases the five most controversial bats, year-wise.

Thomas White’s Monster Bat (1771)

Even before the existence of International cricket, Thomas White treaded the controversial path with his Monster bat. The bat was used during a game between Chertsey and Hambleton.

Thomas Brett, the fast bowler, along with the other players of Hambleton, voiced a protest against the use of the bat that seemingly covered the entire stump, making it difficult for the bowlers even to see them.

Hambleton skipper and all-rounder Richard Nyren and the leading all-rounded John Small signed a petition against using the monster bat. This event birthed the rule for the maximum width of the bat, which is four and a quarter inches.

Although White’s move was bold and hopeful, it was deemed unsportsmanlike. Ultimately, his team, Chertsey, lost the game by just one run.

Dennis Lillee’s Aluminium Bat (1979)

After two long centuries, the Australian pacer Dennis Lillee tried to stretch the game’s rules by walking out from the stands with an Aluminum bat known as ‘The ComBat.’ 

This was during the first Test of the Ashes series in Perth on December 15, 1979. After only four deliveries, Lillee drove Ian Botham down the ground and ran three. 

The Australian skipper remarked that the ball should’ve reached past the boundary and asked the 12th man, Rodney Hogg, to hand Lilee a traditional bat.

In the meantime, England skipper Mike Brearly complained that Lillee’s Aluminum bat was damaging the ball. Lilee had used the same aluminum bat just 12 days earlier against the West Indies and received no complaints.

The pacer Lillee was adamant against using the traditional bat, which led the skipper Greg Chappell to enter the ground himself and hand over a traditional bat to Lillee, resulting in the frustrated Lillee tossing his aluminum bat aside.

The incident underscored that clear guidelines were required for using bats in the game. Here’s what Dennis Lillee had to say while recalling the incident in 2009:

“You know I still hold the world record, I think, for the longest throw in a Test match with an aluminum bat, and I can assure you that will stand!” Dennis Lillee, interview with Bradman Museum. 21 October 2009.”

Ricky Ponting’s Carbon Graphite Bat (2006)

One of the greatest captains, Australian skipper Rickey Pointing, found himself eloped in a controversy surrounding his bat, which had a thin strip of graphite attached to the back.

Ponting had just enjoyed success with the now controversial willow during a game against Pakistan, where he smashed a staggering double century in Sydney.

Concerns regarding the use of the Willow were raised by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which escalated the matter to ICC, stating that the carbon fiber strip provided extra power, which was unfair to the other batsman in the game.

After carefully reviewing the modified Willow blade, MCC concluded that the use of such bats was illegal and banned the bat along with two other Kookaburra bat models—the Genesis Hurricane and the Beast, which also featured a brightly colored graphite strip.

The Mongoose Bat (2010)

Just two years after the inception of the world’s biggest domestic cricket game, IPL, Matthew Hayden, the former Australian opener, strolled out of the stands with a Willow that immediately grabbed a ton of attention.

This bat has a long handle and a shorter blade. In the very first innings with the bat, Hayden on the CSK side went on to smash a staggering 93 off just 43 balls in a match against Delhi DareDevils (Delhi Capitals).

He showcased the bat’s truly destructive potential. The new design, known as the MMi3, featured an extended hitting surface, so no matter where the ball landed, it was bound to reach the stands, given there was sufficient power. This led to a huge uproar.

However, soon, the bat’s shortcomings were seen when many said that it lacked a good defending profile. While the bat saw a short burst of popularity, with time, it slowly faded away. 

Did you know – that Kapil Dev also used the Mongoose Bat in the famous 1983 World Cup campaign?

Andre Russell’s Black Bat (2016)

During the Big Bash League (BBL) 2016-2017 season, Andre Russel garnered a lot of attention from the spectators when he left the stands with a shining black willow featuring a pink grip and design.

While some fans praised the move, others questioned the legality of such demonstrations. Eventually, the match official contacted Cricket Australia (CA), claiming that the bat changed the color of the ball. 

Eventually, the bat was only used for that game as the head of BBL, Anthony Everard, said, “The match officials provided feedback to Cricket Australia that the bat used by Andre left black marks on the match ball. As a result, we have decided to withdraw our approval for Andre to use the bat that was used last night.”

The Legal Specifications For A Cricket Bat

International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of international cricket, has put some rules in place protecting the spirit and integrity of the game after the game featured the use of some controversial bats.

The board has set the rules regarding the length and width of the bat, including the handle, material thickness, and grip specifications.

Parameters	In inches (max)	In Centimeters (max)	Notes
Width	4.25”	10.8cm	Bats can be narrower than these measurements
Length	38”	96.52cm	Bats can be shorter than these measurements
Depth	2.64” (at middle)1.56” (at the edge)	6.7cm (at middle)4 cm at the edge	–
Covering	0.043”	0.11cm	It should not cause any damage to the ball.

Some other specifications of a cricket bat include:

• The bat consists of two parts: The handles and the blade.
• The blade has a face, a toe, a back, sides, and shoulders.
• The face of the blade can have a flat or a convex curve due to the traditional pressing techniques.
• The handle is to be made from cane and/or wood.
• The blade shall be made solely from wood.
• The material that covers the blade shall not exceed 0.04”/0.1 cm in thickness.
• The maximum thickness of protective material placed on the toe of the blade is 0.12“/0.3 cm.

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Conclusion: The Game Of Cricket Defaults To The Traditional Willow

The topic of non-traditional bats in cricket has always been controversial. From Thomas White’s monster bat to Andre Russel’s black-dyed bat. The game of cricket has seen a few standouts in these two centuries.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set concrete guidelines after the instances where the traditional Willow was swapped for a newer version. 

While the ICC has not banned the Mongoose, it did fade away soon after Mathew Hayden and Suresh Raina defaulted on its shortcomings. The manufacturers are free to innovate between the parameters set by the ICC.

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