Cricket Bat Warranty

Overview

All cricket bats manufactured and marketed by Zelion Cricket Private Limited ("Zelion", "Us", "Our") come with a 182 Days / 6 Months Limited Warranty from the date of purchase of the bat. The warranty is subject to the terms and conditions mentioned below, and is publicly advertised at zelioncricket.com/warranties/cricket-bat-warranty.

Duration of Warranty: Our warranty is honoured for a period of 182 days or 6 months from the date of purchase, however depending on the cause, not all damage will be covered by this warranty.

Warranty Coverage: Our warranty is covered only against defects and damages deemed to be manufacturing fault and no fault of the customer.

Lifespan of a Bat

Please remember that cricket bats are made from a natural willow wood that has the incredibly hard task of hitting a solid object repeatedly. A small amount of cracking and dents are normal & has no impact on the performance of the bat, and a bat over its lifespan shall wear and tear based on usage.

The look and appearance of a cricket bat keeps on changing after every game and it is not supposed to remain new forever, rather it deteriorates over time. Please understand that a cricket bat is not a lifetime product and its life depends upon the frequency and proper way of usage.

The lifespan of a cricket bat varies by how much ball impact it sustains, not the length of time you own it. The customer who uses a bat seven days a week should expect it to break seven times quicker than that of the customer who uses it once a week.

Please also understand that the price of a bat does not reflect the potential longevity of the willow. In fact, the more expensive bats such as Zelion cricket bats that are made of softer high quality english willow, though they will usually outperform cheaper bats, they may not last as long.

Lack of preparation and proper care is a key factor in the lifespan of your bat. Therefore, all bats sold by Zelion are properly prepared and machine knocked free of cost before shipping. However, machine knocking can only do so much and we still heavily recommend "playing in" your bat at a net session with old balls before using your bats in a match. All 'knocked-in' bats require playing in prior to use to avoid damage, this is especially the case for toe and edge cracks as these parts are not machine knocked.

Zelion also recommends customers to apply toe-binding and toe guard to protect their bat. Zelion offers free of cost toe-guard application and toe-binding service to its customers when purchasing our bats, as an opt-in service.

If a customer for some reason opts out of machine knocking and does not opt-in for additional protection services such as toe-binding and toe-guard application for their purchased bat before shipping, it is solely their responsibility to properly knock and prepare the bat before usage. Any damage occurred to the bat, especially toe and edge cracks, due to failing to properly prepare and knock your bat will result in your warranty being void.

Raising a Warranty Claim

If a customer needs to claim warranty, they must do so by opening a Warranty Claim Registration through our website at zelioncricket.com/raise-warranty-claim, by filling out the claim form with all the necessary information asked including original invoice, photos / videos of the damaged bat, etc.

Our customer care team will contact you within 2-3 working days, will verify the claim details submitted, and coordinate with you to arrange pickup and shipment of the bat to our facility in India.

Shipping Bat for Warranty Claims

Zelion Cricket shall need to see your bat to arrange the correct course of action following a warranty claim. No repairs or replacements will be issued unless the defective bat is arranged at our facility in India.

Online Domestic Orders

For cricket bats purchased online and delivered to customer location, if the age of the bat, i.e. days since the purchase of the bat is -

Less than 15 days: Zelion will arrange the pickup of the bat free of charge from the delivery address of the original order. Afterwards, Zelion will also ship the repaired bat / replacement bat to the same address free of charge if the damage is covered under warranty. If the damage was assessed to be not covered by the warranty, then the shipping charges shall be borne by the customer.

More than 15 days: The customer must self-ship the item to Zelion facility, and shipping charges both ways should be borne by the customer.

Offline Domestic Orders

For cricket bats purchased offline through our stores, dealerships, and other outlets, the customer might either produce the bat at the same location or otherwise self-ship the bat to our facility.

To receive the repaired cricket bat or the replacement cricket bat, the customer can visit the same location, or opt-to get it shipped to the customer location. In case the repaired or replaced bat needs to be shipped back to the customer location, the shipping charges will be borne by the customer.

International Orders

For cricket bats purchased online and delivered to customer locations outside India, the customer must self-ship the item to Zelion facility in India to process claims for warranty. Any shipping charges, associated customs duty, and any other fees need to be borne by the customer.

After the service, Zelion shall also ship the repaired or replaced cricket bat back to the customer, whose shipping charges, any associated customs duty, and any other fees needs to be borne by the customer.

Warranty Assessment

Each warranty claim will depend on the circumstances and is taken on a case to case basis. A course of action may include a repair or replacement, in case the claim is accepted after assessment by our team at our facility in India.

Please do note it is very easy for us to tell how damage has occurred to a bat in almost all circumstances, so please be honest when explaining what has happened and we will do everything we can to rectify any situation - ultimately we want to ensure you are happy with your purchase, but it is the responsibility of the customer to look after their bat properly too and to be honest with the incident.

To be covered in the warranty, the bat should be arranged at our facility, with original Zelion stickers / badging without traces of tamper. Warranty shall be void if the bat is cleaned, tampered-with or is not carrying the Zelion stickers / badging.

Damages Covered in Warranty

Cracks Across the Blade

A cricket bat having a willow that is weak or too dry can develop cracks across the blade. These breaks are generally seen from the splice / middle of the blade of the cricket bat.

Zelion sources highest quality English willow and the bat are manufactured with right levels of pressing and other highest standard processes, and thus such cracks are rarely found with Zelion cricket bats.

Zelion shall arrange a replacement bat in case of a crack seen across the blade, and the claim is verified and accepted by our team at our facility.

Handle Breakage

Bat handles are made of a number of canes put together and they generally wear and tear over a period of time as they sustain and absorb impact during play. A crack in one of the cane may result in a sound, and it can further break down completely over a period of time.

A cracked and broken handle requires a change in handle, however, a broken handle does not mean the whole bat needs a replacement. These are two separate parts, and Zelion shall only replace the handles and clean up the bat for customers. The bat's performance or life will not be harmed by only replacing the handle.

Any deliberate and non-cricketing usage, including damages caused due to improper transportation / handling of your bat, causing the handle breakage shall not be covered under warranty. Only natural handle breakages caused due to playing cricket shall be covered under warranty.

Toe Damage

Hitting yorker balls, hard at the toe end of the bat, can cause damage and surface cracks at the toe end of the blade of a cricket bat. This is especially seen more in newly sold bats which are used without proper seasoning / preparation process such as knocking-in and net sessions with the bat. This damage can be to some extent avoided by application of toe-binding, which is offered as a free of cost service by Zelion during purchase.

Zelion recommends the bat be used in net sessions with old balls before using it in matches.

Zelion at its own discretion, may offer to repair the bats with toe damage free of charges. These damages can be easily repaired such as by toe-binding, and the bat's performance will not be lost.

Edge Damage

The edges of a cricket bat can get damaged on impacts due to mistimed shots, or otherwise due to improper seasoning / preparation before play.

This damage can be repaired by using fibre tapes, and Zelion at its own discretion, may offer to repair the bats with edge damage free of charges.

Shoulder Cracks

The shoulder area of a cricket bat can get damaged by impact of a ball hitting squarely at the shoulder due to mistimed shots, etc. This damage can be repaired, and Zelion at its own discretion, may offer to repair the bats with shoulder damage free of charges.

Damages Not Covered in Warranty

Cricket bats are manufactured using willow, and their durability is subject to proper usage. It is essential for customers to handle the bats correctly to avoid damages and breakage.

Consequently, if a customer fails to use and take care of the bat appropriately and it breaks or is damaged due to improper usage, Zelion shall not be held accountable for the damage incurred and it shall not be covered in Warranty.

Damages of this nature are not replaceable or covered under warranty, and paid repair service can be availed from Zelion. In some cases, at its sole discretion, Zelion shall offer to repair the bat free of charge, however, any associated shipping charges, custom duty, or other applicable postage fee shall be borne by the customer.

Damages Due to Heat

A cricket bat can be damaged by excessive exposure to heat, such as by leaving the bats in a car boot, exposing it to direct sunlight etc. Always leave your cricket bat inside a protected bag and avoid exposing it to excessive heat.

Damages Due to Wetness

A cricket bat can be damaged due to its usage or storage in moist conditions. Usually in these cases, a swelling is seen in the blade's toe area, which can get split after the bat dries up. Such damages can be prevented by using a toe guard, and Zelion recommends customers using the cricket bat in moist conditions, rainy weather etc. to apply toe guard.

Damages resulting from bats being Tampered

A cricket bat can be damaged if it's improperly customized or tampered with by the customer or a third-party, such as through weight-reduction, profile corrections, etc. Warranty shall be void in such cases, and Zelion shall not be liable for any subsequent damages inflicted to the bat.

Damages caused by the use of a Low Quality Cricket Ball

The blade of a cricket bat might be damaged if you use low-quality or harsh cricket balls. Zelion strongly advises customers to only use standard leather balls from recognized manufacturers.

Damages caused by the Bad Handling of the Bat

A cricket bat should be used only for playing cricket and to hit cricket balls. It can be damaged by bad handling of the bat such as by striking the bat on a hard surface other than a cricket ball. Zelion shall not provide warranty for any damage caused by bad handling or non-cricketing usage of the bat.

Repairs

All damages do not necessarily require the bat to be replaced, and most common damages to a cricket bat can be attributed to normal wear and tear and can be easily repaired. For damages that can be easily repaired without affecting the performance of the cricket bat, Zelion shall only offer repair service and shall not be replacing the cricket bat.

• Small cracks can usually be sanded out and have been appearing on cricket bats for centuries. It is totally a natural process as the bat, which is afterall a natural wood, is exposed to hard hitting. Such cracks are not a sign of a faulty bat.
• Toe Damages due to hitting hard yorkers. Such damages can be easily repaired by toe-binding.
• Handle Breakage can be fixed by replacing the handle of the bat alone without affecting the performance of the bat.

Paid Repairs

In situations, where a bat has sustained significant damage inflicted by the player through improper usage, or lack of care, and there is no material flaw in the bat or the willow, Zelion shall not provide Warranty and shall only offer chargeable repair service.

Any chargeable repairs will be at a minimum cost of INR 500, and all costs of postage and packaging of the bat to Zelion facility and back must be borne by the customer.

Replacements

Every cricket bat is uniquely and individually handcrafted and no two bats shall have the exact same specifications such as weight, number of grains, etc. Therefore, Zelion cannot and shall not be liable to provide a replacement bat with the exact same specifications.

For claims where Zelion is arranging a replacement bat, Zelion shall be providing a best-fit replacement for the original bat, and shall not be responsible for any mismatch in its specifications.

Each customer is eligible for only one replacement for one cricket bat purchased. No second replacement will be issued if the replacement bat also develops damages later on. The replacement bat shall be only repaired, if possible, in case of future damage.