Best way to make the racket shaft stiffer while minimizing added weight

hockey tape is commonly used for the blade for that reason, and it’s also just as commonly used to grip the end of the shaft for grip. But a lot of players also grip the middle or sometimes all the way to the end of the shaft. Not sure how familiar you are with the sport, but I’ve played hockey when I was young, you can trust me on this one.

I’ll try screen protector and fiberglass tape, although I don’t know if there’s a special one made for cricket, but there’s plenty generic ones at dollar stores.

There’s plenty of rackets with different stiffness, but most players can’t test rackets before buying especially with your preferred string, tension and grip setup. So most times, you can’t “just buy the one you like” as many people are advising in this thread. Sometimes you’re stuck with a racket that’s too whippy for your liking.