If you want to do well, cricket requires a lot of practice. But not all practice needs a bat and a ball.
Because the biggest challenge of cricket over every other sport is the amount of mental toughness you need to do well.
You could be the world's best batsman, but if your concentration lapses or your confidence goes you won't be able to buy a run.
Lucky for world class players they have learned the best ways to keep mentally tough.
If you had 5 minutes to ask one of those players the 3 easiest ways to improve your mental game, here is what they would say:
1. Use past successes for future gain
Before he opened an innings, Geoff Boycott used to go into a mental cocoon in the dressing room.
He would rehearse his innings, thinking about the bounce of the wicket, the troublesome and easy bowlers and where runs will come seeing his innings unfold in his mind.
It's a common trick used by modern players too. If it worked for Boycs it has to work for you.
2. Save your concentration
Ask any good bowler or batsman and he or she will tell you that they save their concentration for when it matters: the delivery. The rest of the time they are doing anything but concentrating because nobody can stay focused for an entire innings.
Your brain would melt from your ear.
So next time the coach or captain shouts at you to concentrate, try focusing your concentration in short bursts and relaxing the rest of the time.
3. Build confidence with goal setting
Everyone knows how important it is to set goals. If you are regularly achieving your goals, your confidence is sky high.
And we all know how importance confidence is to cricket.
But goal setting is a little trickier than just hoping for 100 wickets this season. Goals can de-motivate as well. So make sure when you set your goals they are something that is in your control and realistic.
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