Sliding stop vs conventional 'pull back' stop fielding

The practice that comes with sliding

Slides can cause injuries if not executed properly

Pull-back stops are pretty natural and require minimal technique and agility, but laying down and preventing extra runs or a boundary demands prior practice. The timing of the slide is crucial and diving at the wrong time may lead to a miss-field and result in additional runs.

The landing requires technical perfection as falling badly on the knee can cause an injury that may last for a substantial period of time. It’s a useful form of fielding, but it’s not recommendable without achieving expertise on it.

Players, nowadays, are trained to slide on outfields by their coaches, parking the flexibilities of the game at the back of the mind. With the wagon wheel of batsmen widening by the day, it’s hard to find a relaxation zone for fielders.