What Cricket Bats Do the Pros Use? (Brands & What It Means for You)

There is something irresistible about watching a professional walk to the crease and wondering what is in their hands. The bat that just sent a ball sailing over the ropes carries a certain mystique, and it is natural to ask whether owning the same one might add a little of that magic to your own game. It is one of the most common questions we hear at Mystery Cricket: what cricket bat do the pros use, and specifically, what bat does Kohli use?

The honest answer is more interesting than a single model name. Player sponsorships shift from season to season, and the exact bat in a star’s hands today may be different by the time the next series begins. What stays remarkably stable, however, is the small group of brands that operate at the very top of the international game. Understanding those brands, and what makes a professional’s bat special, tells you far more than chasing one player’s name on a sticker. So let us look at who makes the bats the best players in the world trust, and what that actually means for you.

The Brands That Dominate at International Level

If you watch enough international cricket, you will start to notice the same names appearing again and again on the back of bats and across players’ kit bags. The top tier of the sport is served by a relatively short list of established willow specialists, and the good news is that these are the very same brands we stock at Mystery Cricket. When you browse our full cricket bats collection, you are looking at the same makers who supply the world’s elite.

British heritage brands form the backbone of the professional game. Gunn & Moore, usually known simply as GM, has been crafting bats in Nottingham for well over a century and remains a fixture in dressing rooms around the world. Gray-Nicolls is another name steeped in history, long associated with some of the most famous batters the game has seen and instantly recognisable by its iconic profiles. Kookaburra, the Australian giant better known to many for its match balls, also produces premium bats used at the highest level.

Beyond these, New Balance has become a serious force in cricket and has long been associated with a number of leading international batters, helping to bring a sportswear-brand polish to willow. From the subcontinent, the picture is just as rich. SG is one of India’s oldest and most respected manufacturers and has equipped generations of Test cricketers. MRF is perhaps the most talked-about name of all, thanks to its high-profile presence in international cricket over many years, and the MRF logo has become one of the most recognisable sights at the crease.

Rounding out the list are brands such as DSC and CA, both of which have grown rapidly and now appear on bats wielded by professionals across formats. The key takeaway is this: the pros are not using secret, exclusive equipment that ordinary players can never touch. They are using the same well-known brands you can browse and buy today.

A note on player and brand associations

It is worth being careful here. Specific endorsement deals change often, and a player linked to one brand in a given year may switch to another later on. What we can say with confidence is which brands have a long-standing presence at the top of the game. MRF, for instance, has long been associated with elite international batting talent and is frequently the brand people have in mind when they ask what bat the biggest stars use. Rather than fixate on any single current contract, it is far more useful to know that this brand, and the others above, sit firmly in the professional tier.

What Makes a Pro’s Bat Different

When a professional picks up a bat, they are almost always holding the very best a brand can produce. These are the top-grade models, often labelled as Players Edition or Grade 1, made from the finest English willow a maker can source. The willow used at this level is chosen for its straight grain, clean appearance and, above all, its performance, with a beautiful balance of power and responsiveness off the face.

Grade 1 willow is rare. A single tree yields only a limited number of clefts that meet the exacting standards required for the top grade, which is why these bats sit at the premium end of any range. If you want to understand the grading system in more detail, our cricket bat willow guide breaks down exactly what separates a Grade 1 cleft from the grades below it.

There is a common belief that professionals use enormous, oversized bats, and to the naked eye their bats can certainly look bigger, with imposing edges and a generous swell. The reality is more nuanced. A skilled bat maker can shape and press a cleft so that it offers a large hitting profile while remaining beautifully balanced in the hand. Pressing is the process of compressing the willow fibres to create a durable, responsive surface, and getting this right is part science, part craft. A pro’s bat may look formidable, but it has been pressed and finished to deliver performance, not simply to appear large.

It is also true that professionals have their bats tailored to extremely precise specifications. The pick-up, the position of the sweet spot, the weight distribution and the handle can all be fine-tuned to suit an individual’s technique and preferences. This is the level of detail that separates a bespoke professional bat from a standard retail model, even when both carry the same brand and the same Players Edition label.

Can You Buy the Same Bat as a Pro?

Here is the encouraging part: yes, in large measure you can. The major brands sell Players Edition versions of their top bats, made from the same Grade 1 English willow and built to the same exacting standards as the equipment used at international level. Our Players Edition cricket bats collection brings these premium models together in one place, so you can hold the same calibre of willow that the best in the world rely on.

There are, however, a couple of important caveats to keep in mind. The first is weight. A professional often plays with a bat that suits their physique, strength and style, and that weight may not be right for you. A bat that feels glorious in the hands of a powerful international batter can feel cumbersome and slow for a club player, costing you precious bat speed and timing. The number printed on a bat matters far less than how it picks up and feels when you play a shot, so always prioritise the pick-up over a headline weight.

The second caveat is preparation. A premium bat is not ready to use straight out of the wrapper. It needs to be knocked in, a process of gently compressing and conditioning the edges and face with a bat mallet, so that the willow is ready to cope with the impact of a hard ball. Skipping this step risks cracking even the finest Grade 1 bat. A professional’s bat will have been meticulously prepared before it ever sees a match, and yours deserves the same care. Our cricket bat buying guide walks you through knocking in and the other essentials of choosing and preparing a bat properly.

Should You Copy a Pro’s Bat?

It is tempting to want the exact bat your favourite player swings, and there is nothing wrong with admiring their kit. In practice, though, copying a hero is rarely the path to better batting. The most important factors in choosing a bat are how well it fits you and whether the weight suits your game, and those are deeply personal.

Consider the differences between you and a professional. They are typically taller, stronger and conditioned to handle a heavier bat through hours of daily training. Their technique is grooved over years, and their equipment is tuned to that technique. A bat that complements their style may actively work against yours. If you are a junior, a club player or a weekend cricketer, a bat that is too heavy will slow your hands, blunt your timing and tire you out long before the innings is over.

Far better to choose a bat based on a few sensible questions. Does it pick up well and feel light and lively when you shadow a stroke? Is the size right for your height and reach? Does the sweet spot sit where you tend to make contact, whether you are a front-foot driver or a back-foot puller? Get these right and you will play better than you ever would with a mismatched copy of a star’s bat. By all means buy the same brand or even the same Players Edition range as your hero, but choose the specification that fits you, not them.

There is also great value in handling a few options and trusting your own feel. Two bats of the same model and listed weight can pick up quite differently depending on where the wood is distributed. The bat that feels right to you is the right bat, regardless of whose name is associated with the range.

The Bottom Line

So, what cricket bat do the pros use? They use the top-grade, Players Edition models from a familiar group of brands: GM, Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra, New Balance, SG, MRF, DSC and CA, among others. These bats are made from premium Grade 1 English willow, carefully pressed, and tailored precisely to each player. The brand on a star’s bat is no secret, and the same calibre of willow is available to you.

The smartest move is not to chase one player’s exact bat, but to take inspiration from the brands at the top of the game and then choose the model and weight that genuinely suit you. Explore our Players Edition cricket bats for that professional calibre of willow, browse the full cricket bats range across every brand, and let how a bat feels in your hands guide the final decision. That is how you get the best of what the pros enjoy, made to work for your game.

FAQs: Pro Cricket Bats

What cricket bat do the pros use?
Professionals use the top-grade Players Edition or Grade 1 bats from leading brands such as GM, Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra, New Balance, SG, MRF, DSC and CA. These are made from premium English willow and are often tailored to each player’s exact specifications.

What bat does Kohli use?
Specific player sponsorships change over time, so it is best not to rely on a single model name. The brand most often associated with elite international batting in this context is MRF, which has long had a prominent presence at the top of the game. You can explore our MRF cricket bats collection to see the range.

Are professional cricket bats bigger than normal ones?
They can look bigger, with large edges and a generous profile, but they are carefully pressed and balanced for performance rather than simply made oversized. A good maker creates a big hitting area while keeping the bat balanced and easy to pick up.

Can I buy the same bat as a professional?
In large part, yes. The major brands sell Players Edition versions made from the same Grade 1 English willow as the bats used at international level. Browse our Players Edition cricket bats to find them.

Should I choose a bat just because a pro uses it?
No. Fit and weight matter far more than matching a hero. A bat suited to a strong, tall professional may be too heavy for you and slow your hands. Always choose a bat based on how well it picks up and suits your own game.

What does Players Edition or Grade 1 mean?
These terms refer to the top tier of willow quality. Grade 1 English willow has straight grain and a clean appearance, and it is relatively rare, which is why these bats sit at the premium end of any range. Grading describes how the willow looks rather than guaranteeing how it plays, and a well pressed lower grade can perform superbly. Our willow guide explains the grading system in full.

Do I need to knock in a premium bat?
Yes. Even the finest Grade 1 bat must be knocked in before use, gently conditioning the edges and face so the willow can withstand a hard ball. Skipping this step risks cracking the bat. Our cricket bat buying guide explains how to do it properly.

Which cricket bat brands are the best?
There is no single best brand, as the top makers all produce excellent bats. GM, Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra, New Balance, SG, MRF, DSC and CA all operate at the professional level. The best brand for you is the one whose bat fits your style, size and feel preferences.