Master the Mental Game & Cricket Intelligence

Every player struggles with bad form. The key is knowing how to get out of it. More importantly, when you are in top form, the real challenge is to hold it. This is where mental preparation becomes as important as net practice.

I always ask my players, do you give enough importance to fielding? It's often neglected, but at the top level, it's non-negotiable. I try to instill a passion for fielding, because the joy of a great catch or a run-out is as good as scoring a century.

This is a drill to improve focus. By placing cones as distractions, I train the batsman to watch only the ball. Out of 100 balls, only 2 or 3 hit the cones. This proves that if you focus on what you can control, you will succeed.

In cricket, it's the small muscles that provide the fine motor skills for batting and bowling. I explain why we focus on exercises with bands and medicine balls to activate these smaller muscles, which are often ignored in regular gym workouts.

A reality check on cricket at the grassroots level. I believe we need to protect the pure skills of the game and not just chase shortcuts.

My philosophy starts with the purity of the game. I want to talk about cricket not as entertainment, but as an art form. This was the passion that drove my generation, and I want to instill it in the next.

What should I tell young cricketers? To only practice hitting sixes for the IPL, or to learn how to leave a ball, play swing bowling, and build an innings? The future of our cricket depends on this choice.

My fear is that the current environment encourages shortcuts, and real talent will not be given a chance. We must create an environment where young players are hungry to represent the country, not just to get a contract.

A post-session summary is crucial. We sit down, discuss what went right, what went wrong, and what we need to work on next. This is part of the learning process.