Is Overcoaching a Thing?

Coaches are vital in every player’s development. It is well known that if someone is coached by someone else who is experienced in said sport or skill, they will learn and improve much faster. It is the same as the education system. A highly qualified individual (let’s say a maths teacher who has a degree at university) uses their expertise to teach the students. However, cricket is not like maths. There are no right or wrong answers. Cricket is more like art. You must nurture a player’s creativity and let them have their own style and methods, rather than following everything from a textbook of the ‘correct’ ways of doing things. 


If you want evidence that the coaching manual alone can’t make you a successful player, look at the international scene. There’s Australia’s best batsman, Steve Smith, who wafts his lightsabre threateningly towards the fielder at gully before every delivery. And if you looked back to the Stone Age, you would find Virender Sehwag, who batted as if his feet were stuck in concrete the whole time. Kedar Jadhav almost bowls underground! And that’s without mentioning the Aussie’s ex-captain, George Bailey. His shocker of a stance had the bowler staring at his arse as he ran up to bowl. A target to aim at, I guess…

Seriously mate... I don't have words for this...

The point is that they are all relatively successful players (and George might find some success in the modeling industry with his tendency to show off his body). Jokes aside, the textbook player (straight back lift, feet in line at the crease, an arm that chips off a bit of your ear every time you bowl and an English heritage that traces to W.G Grace for good measure) is quite rare in the modern game. Yes, cricket is a very technical game, and a slight kink in your technique could expose your game, especially at the highest level (*cough* *cough* Keaton Jennings). 

However, there is an element of creativity that makes cricket the game that it is. We need to allow players to express this creativity (maybe not George) because one method in cricket doesn’t work for all. Coaches need to understand this and incorporate it into their training. Yes, there are the basic principles that need to be adhered to, but above that, there needs to be room to develop and find your own way of doing things as well. Because I feel like shoving another analogy up your throat, you can compare this to the foundations of a skyscraper. All the skyscrapers need to have strong, sturdy foundations but not all of them look the same above these foundations. This is how we must train players. Show them the fundamental aspects of the game but, as long as it doesn’t impair their game, allow them to find their own natural way.

Blog by The Cricket Badgers- Audio Reading below:

Please follow our blog in the sidebar to the left. Your support is much appreciated!

Please subscribe to this blog for more content and check out the rest of my YouTube channel 
at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVVRSREcQkTDSpjfrgnit_A