Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra turns entrepreneur, becomes co-owner of bat making company Z-Bat

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra is now a co-owner of the Mumbai-based bat making sports tech company, Z-Bat. The company professes to provide all bat-related solutions to cricketers, starting from purchasing to repairing, and plans to “change the way Indians think while buying cricket bats.” Conceptualised by cricket enthusiasts Samir and Harshal Shah, the venture has the backing of start-up pioneer G Ramachandran. Speaking on the occasion, Chopra, who has represented India in 10 Test matches, said, “Cricket is the most played sport in this country. It is surprising that so far, we didn’t have any scientific method to determine the cricket bat that suits an individual. Wish I knew all these nuances during my playing days. When I heard the concept from Samir, I immediately saw the potential and how revolutionary the concept is.”

“I truly believe Z-Bat will not only be able to enhance performances of budding cricketers with the correct evaluation of their bat, but they can also even help to avoid injury with unique body dynamics detection identifying the right balance of the player,” he added. Despite the massive growth the game of cricket has had in recent years, there is no concrete process of choosing the right bat as most players buy bats out of ‘feel’. Z-bats’ scientific algorithms and ICC approved sensor-based technology look to help cricketers get the best equipment. “Undergoing meticulous research and study, there could be as many as 344 types of batters, in the age range of 8-80, we looked to incorporate new-age science and technology in making tailor-made bats. Today Z-Bats could be customised for openers, middle-order batsmen and tail-enders, and also according to the condition of the pitch to get the best performance,” said Harshal Shah, founder-director of Z-Bat. While cricket fanatics are introduced with this unique concept, Z-Bat is also empowering aspiring enthusiasts to become bat smiths and repair experts. “Our goal has been to create a holistic solution ranging from buying, caring and repairing the bat. We are the only ones who have taken cricket bat caring to the next level by introducing bat wax for the first time which we make personally. Our online repair facility with pick-up and delivery of the bat is a unique concept that is fast catching up with people in Mumbai,” said Samir Shah, one of the other founder-partners of Z-Bat.