Anthropometric and morphological characteristics of elite male cricket bowlers and batters over time: A systematic review.

This article systematically reviews the anthropometric and morphological characteristics of elite male cricket bowlers and batters, analyzing data from 52 studies across five full-member International Cricket Council (ICC) nations. Findings indicate that bowlers are significantly taller and heavier than batters, while body fat percentages do not differ notably between the groups. Over time, batters have shown a significant increase in stature, potentially reflecting adaptations to shorter, power-focused formats of the game, whereas bowlers' stature has remained relatively stable. The review highlights a scarcity of focused research on these physical traits in cricket and emphasizes the need for further investigation to better understand their impact on performance, talent identification, and training program design, including consideration of specialized roles and female players.