WATCH: Shohei Ohtani mixes it up as he uses cricket bat for practice

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has shown this season that he is worth the $700 million contract he was awarded ahead of his move to his new team. Baseball's modern-day unicorn has been prolific this year, with a 1.010 to go along with his 14 home runs as the Dodgers' designated hitter.

Ohtani has not only impacted the baseball world — he has also thrust the sport back into the mainstream. The former MVP has been a fresh injection of energy into the league's popularity as MLB tries to push its brand to a wider global market.

In a recent video shared by a fan on Instagram, Shohei Ohtani was seen mixing up his batting practice routine. Before using his conventional and handy baseball bat, he was seen using a cricket bat.

Being one of the most prolific hitters of this generation, Ohtani had no problem hitting the ball with the novel cricket bat. After all, a cricket bat is slightly wider than a baseball bat. It has a handle, usually covered with tape, and a shoulder, which is the part before the blade. The blade itself, which is the longest and widest part of the bat, is made of willow wood.

Cricket rules state that the bat may be no more than 38 inches long. That's a bit shorter than a baseball bat, which can be as long as 42 inches. The cricket bat can also be as wide as 4.25 inches on the blade, which is significantly wider than the standard 2.75-inch diameter of a baseball bat.

It is still uncertain what inspired the biggest baseball star in the world to try batting with a cricket bat. However, one might not be wrong in assuming that Ohtani might be aware of the recently concluded Indian Premier League in cricket, wherein the Kolkata Knight Riders overcame the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.

Shohei Ohtani's cricket bat escapade

The recent footage of Shohei Ohtani wasn't the first time he was documented using a cricket bat. In fact, during Spring Training, Ohtani and teammate James Outman practiced using cricket bats.

In the Dodgers Dugout podcast, hosted by Doug McKain, it was revealed to the media that skipper Dave Roberts encouraged Shohei Ohtani to use a cricket bat.

"Shohei Ohtani and James Outman switched to cricket bats early in the Dodgers 2024 season and have seen some great success🚨 @dmac_la" - Dodgers Nation on X

Ohtani would then hit a home run with the cricket bat during practice. Upon seeing the unicorn smash the home run, James Outman followed suit and hit a homer himself.