The one8 Cover Drive 18 Pro is a men's cricket batting spike co-created with Virat Kohli, and it is the most talked-about cricket shoe to come out of India in years. Crystal Sports holds it in UK stock, so you can buy one8 in England without import duty, customs fees or a two-week wait from Bangalore.

It is built around one idea: total technical command at the crease. A breathable mono mesh upper with synthetic toe overlays, a PWR+LCK heel-lock collar, the Boom logo engineered as a TPU shank, Sonic Foam underfoot and 11 spikes laid out for batting footwork rather than bowling.

one8 Cover Drive 18 Pro at a glance

• What it is: a men's cricket batting spike from one8, Virat Kohli's brand, co-created with him.
• Spikes: 11 in total — 7 at the forefoot, 4 convertible at the heel.
• Built for: batting, not bowling.
• Key technologies: Sonic Foam midsole, Sonic Grip rubber outsole, PWR+LCK heel-lock collar, Boom TPU shank.
• Sizes: UK 5 to 12.
• Colourway: Jersey White / Sonic Blue / Classic Black.
• Where to buy in the UK: Crystal Sports, Unit 2, 200 Dunstable Road, Luton LU4 8JL, and online with tracked UK delivery.
• Buying from the UK vs importing: Crystal Sports ships from UK stock with no import duty and UK returns. one8 do not offer returns or exchanges on orders placed outside India.

one8 Cover Drive 18 Pro specifications

Buying one8 cricket shoes in the UK

This is the reason most people land on this page. one8 is sold primarily in India, and ordering direct from there means international shipping of 7 to 14 days, import duty and handling fees on arrival, and no returns or exchanges — one8 state plainly that their returns policy does not apply to orders placed outside India. On a pair of spikes you have never tried on, that is a real risk.

Buying from Crystal Sports removes all of it. The shoes are already in the UK. You pay the price on the page with nothing to pay on delivery, they ship tracked from Luton in one to two working days, and you have the same consumer rights you would have buying any pair of shoes in England. If you want to try them on first, the shop is open seven days.

The 7 + 4 spike layout, and why it is a batting shoe

Eleven spikes, configured deliberately: seven under the forefoot where a batter pushes off, turns for the second run and pivots to play square, and four convertible spikes at the heel. Convertible means you can swap those heel spikes out, which matters when you move between grass and harder surfaces. It is a different brief to a bowling shoe, which loads everything around absorbing a front-foot landing. The Cover Drive is built for the batter's movement pattern.

PWR+LCK, the TPU shank and staying grounded

Two features do the stability work. The PWR+LCK collar locks the heel into the shoe so your foot does not travel during aggressive shifts — the moment you rock back and across, or brace to play through the line. The Boom logo on the side is not decoration: it is engineered as a TPU shank sitting between the midsole and the outsole, resisting the shoe twisting under load. Together they are what one8 mean by feeling grounded at the crease.

Sonic Foam and the long innings

Sonic Foam is one8's cushioning midsole, tuned for fast takeoffs and high-rebound energy return. The point is not plushness, it is that the return stays consistent deep into an innings, so your legs are still fresh in the fortieth over of a long stay. The mono mesh upper and perforated forefoot panelling keep air moving through the shoe while that happens.

one8 size guide

one8 use UK and India sizing. Measure your bare foot from heel to longest toe in centimetres and match it to the chart — it is far more reliable than guessing from another brand.

Looking after them

Wipe them down regularly with a clean dry cloth to lift dust and surface dirt. Do not wash, soak or machine clean them — the mesh upper and the bonded structure will not survive it. Knock mud off before it dries, let them dry naturally rather than on a radiator, and keep the spikes tight, because a loose spike strips the thread.

Who are these for?

• Batters who want a spike built around batting movement rather than a general all-rounder
• Club and league cricketers in the UK who want one8 without importing
• Players who follow Virat Kohli and want the shoe he co-created
• Anyone who would rather try a pair on than gamble on an international order

Buy one8 cricket shoes in the UK

Crystal Sports is an independent cricket shop in Luton, Bedfordshire, and stocks the Cover Drive 18 Pro alongside the wider cricket shoe range. Order online with tracked UK delivery, or visit Unit 2, 200 Dunstable Road, Luton LU4 8JL to try a pair on first.