📍 THE WEEK’S RADAR

• Technique talk: Kohli's off-stump guard meets Head's leg-side method

• Gabba’s Hybrid H3 wicket combines synthetic grass with natural soil

• Science speaks: 70% of cricket greats prefer angled backlift

• Smart training: Surface variety key to bowler development

• Match prep: What happens before players take field

• Cricket Scotland seeks National Pathway Coach

• Coaching corner: "King of the Ring" drill tests all-round skills

FROM THE ANALYSIS BOX

The Adelaide Question: Kohli vs The Corridor

The spotlight is on champion Virat Kohli's technique lately. He's opted to bat on off-stump whilst standing well ahead of his crease, presumably to know his off peg better and negate swing. But as Hayden points out, this has become a double-edged sword - he's forced to play at balls in the corridor he'd normally leave. In Adelaide, Boland's craft from wide of the crease, as Pujara astutely analysed - getting the ball to tail in before straightening - put this adjustment to its sternest test.

Against The Grain: Head’s Method Meets Success

Travis Head's method in Adelaide was built around one clear priority - stay away from the edge. By taking guard on leg stump and playing almost exaggeratedly inside the line - at times his bat struck his pad - he nullified Siraj's seam movement. This same position set him up perfectly to free his arms when bowlers, especially Rana, offered width. What began as a defensive adjustment against seam became an offensive catalyst.

INNOVATOR’S BAG

Gabba’s Hybrid H3: Synthetic, Authentic Fusion

Designed by Tony Hemming, Head Curator of Dubai’s ICC Academy, the Gabba’s Hybrid H3 Wicket combines synthetic grass with natural soil for a surface that mirrors the bounce, seam, and spin of a real pitch. With soil-filled fibres smoothed to below the pile height, it’s durable, low-maintenance, and installs in just one day. Read more

THE SCIENCE OF SKILL

Bradman to Biomechanics - The Loop Truth

Don Bradman's looped backlift wasn't an anomaly - it was revelation. While coaches preach keeping the bat straight towards the keeper, research shows 70% of cricket's greats naturally lift towards the slips, their bats deviating up to 47 degrees from shoulder alignment. With 75% of international batsmen using this technique versus 40% at first-class level, perhaps we're coaching away cricket's natural instincts.

Smarter Surfaces Shape Stronger Bowlers

Many bowlers over-rely on their upper bodies due to broken kinetic chains, leading to injury and inefficiency. Hard indoor winter surfaces worsen ankle issues and amplify flaws. Borrowing insights from sprinting, surface periodisation—training on grass, cushioned surfaces, and outdoor wickets—builds tendon strength and enhances performance. By refining techniques and smarter winter planning, coaches can prepare bowlers for sustainable success. Train smarter, not harder!

BETWEEN THE EARS

Minutes Before Magic

The camera lens captures the spectacle but misses the science of preparation. Elite athletes like Rafael Nadal don't simply switch on excellence at match time - they orchestrate it meticulously in the shadows. Each pre-match ritual serves a purpose: calibrating heart rate, channeling nervous energy, focusing the mind. When Nadal steps onto centre court, the real work is already done.

Job Board

JOB OF THE WEEK 🏏

National Performance Pathway Coach, Cricket Scotland

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced National Performance Pathway Coach to work within our Male Youth Pathway programme, supporting the growth and development of national cricketers.

🔗View Complete Job Board 🔗

HOUSE OF COACHES

King Of The Ring

Split your squad (8-10 players) into batting and bowling teams. One batter starts as "King", facing a compressed Test match: new ball seaming, scuffed one reversing, old ball turning. Coach rotates balls every 2-3 overs and tracks points: Kings earn runs through quality shots (2 points), solid defence (1), and survival bonuses (3 for six balls). When dismissed, next batter steps in. Bowlers maintain 30-second intervals, scoring for wickets (3 points), executing called deliveries (2), and beating the bat with good ones (1).

Pro tip: In this 20-minute battle, clear calling from coach - "Shot!" "Defence!" "Beaten!" - keeps scoring clean and intensity high.

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