We have a promising 17-year-old batter at our club and we’ve noticed he’s picking the bat up towards leg slip as the bowler is running into bowl. What’s the best way to help and is there a preference to how he should pick the bat up?

I am going to assume that he is a strong offside player, as he would struggle to get his bat around his body to play to the legside.

The important piece is where is he at when the bowler is delivering the ball? If you look at Rory Burns from England, who has a very unconventional backlift, but at the time of delivery, his foot movements allow him to be in a position to play all around the wicket.

At 17, my advice would be to work on adjusting the backlift, to get it to at least straight back towards his own stumps, and this will also require some adjustment of his grip, and rotation of his front shoulder, to have it facing directly up the pitch.

Some easy batting drills using batting tees, rather than throw downs or bowling machines, to have the bat coming through from that straight position, will assist.

Use some plastic stumps, take out the middle one .
Get him to pickup without touching the remaining stumps.

Cool answers above...

My 2 cents ;-)

We cannot change anyone or even play a part in their change if they do not want to. My go-to in the past was to make sure I help the cricketer achieve three things...

1st awareness of what they are doing. This could be through video as mentioned, or in front of a mirror or big window that reflects well. Problem awareness is a needed ingredient for change.

2nd, show why they might need to consider the change. Using either their own stats, results etc. or finding examples of others can be good to bring awareness to why they need to consider focusing on changing this part of their game.

3rd, once decided that they will make the change... encourage the feel of the change. Feeling the bat in a different position. I remember asking cricketers to show me the old way of what they are doing... then the new so as to encourage them to feel the difference... Ownership over the problem helps with making the correction.

Personally, I was never big into adding stumps etc into places to make corrections. Change is hard, yet happens all the time and can therefore happen quickly. Motivation, the reason for change is key.

Hi. Quick video on the phone would help. Teenagers can't see it until they see it. The other thing is trying to find out how long he has been doing it. Has it impacted on him losing his wicket? How does he get out more often?

A few things you can try without re inventing the wheel.
The problem he had is ussually the batter predominantly lifting the bat with the bottom hand which pulls the back elbow behind his body towards square leg. Try asking him to push his backlift back with his top hand. He may need an adjustment with his grip also and as Wayne said opening the front shoulder a tad will help.
If he still has trouble off his pads ensure that the front foot is not pointing towards cover or mid off , if it is he will play around his front pad causing his eyes to tilt and loss of balance at execution.

Some great suggestions already shared. My suggestion would be to show him what this looks like before and at impact and ask a couple of questions of him as to where he is strong and where he could develop his hitting area with this back lift.
Perhaps you could ask him to keep his hands close to his body and tuck his right elbow into his right hip (assuming he is a right handed batter)