📍 THE WEEK’S RADAR

• The Chase Master Kohli – Kohli’s unmatched strike rotation makes him unstoppable.

• The Catch That Wasn’t Meant to Be – Glenn Phillips turns the impossible into reality.

• Klaasen: Sitting Deep, Striking Clean – Klaasen’s back-foot play adds real power.

• Fast Bowling, Measured to Maximise – Data-driven secrets to sustained 90+ mph pace.

• Cracking Under Pressure? – Mental fatigue, not technique, is your real enemy.

• Victory Within – Champions fight to the end—Nadal’s mental strength explained.

FROM THE ANALYSIS BOX

The Chase Master Kohli

Kohli's 84 (98) guided India past Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final. His key enabler? Strike rotation —holding the ODI record with 5,868 singles. Four of the top five on that list are from the subcontinent, reinforcing its importance in these conditions. Agar pinpointed Kohli's brilliance: "He puts away your best ball—top of middle stump, spinning away—by holding the bat face longer, opening it late, finding gaps." This ability makes Kohli virtually impossible to contain.

The Catch That Wasn’t Meant to Be

Betrayal! That's the look on a batter's face when Glenn Phillips defies logic, turning a certain boundary into an impossible catch. He doesn't just take catches—he makes the improbable feel inevitable, turning half-chances into certainties.
Great fielders anticipate—reading intent, positioning early, and reacting instinctively and decisively. On Sunday, at backward point, Phillips stretched every fibre of his being to pluck Virat’s catch out of thin air. We scrutinise batting and bowling endlessly, yet fielding of this calibre shifts matches as much as a defining innings or a match-turning spell.

Klaasen: Sitting Deep, Striking Clean

Heinrich Klaasen’s ability to play off the back foot, particularly against spin, is a distinguishing feature of his game. A single net session, where he forced himself to stay back on every ball, fundamentally reshaped his approach. On slower surfaces, where many batters are forced into passive front-foot play, Klaasen stays deep, using his stable base and bat speed to generate power. His method almost aligns with AB de Villiers’ Box Theory—maintaining a compact base and allowing the ball into his hitting zone before committing.

COACH’S CORNER

Robo Toe Crushers

With the IPL fast approaching, yorkers will be crucial as always. Bowlers typically practice using stationary targets, but modern batters disrupt lines and lengths through movement. A couple of seasons ago, the innovative Rajasthan Royals introduced the Target Robot—a remote-controlled shoe simulating batter movement—enabling bowlers to adapt to moving targets and improve yorker execution under pressure.

Speed That Stays With You

The 1080 Motion Sprint measures a fast bowler’s approach speed, force output, and momentum retention, providing real-time data on acceleration, braking forces, and front leg bracing. By analysing velocity changes and ground reaction forces, it identifies inefficiencies that reduce ball speed—helping coaches ensure bowlers stay fast through the crease. WATCH NOW

THE SCIENCE OF SKILL

Fast Bowling, Measured to Maximise

Bowling at 90+ mph is as rare as a sub-10-second 100m sprint, but it can be trained. The key? Kinetic and kinematic attractors—forces and positions that drive elite speed. A hard front leg block enhances energy transfer, but momentum retention is crucial—70% of bowlers slow before back foot contact, disrupting force application. Knee-dominant bowlers absorb braking forces better, while hip-dominant bowlers need targeted adaptations.
This is where the 1080 Motion Sprint comes in—tracking momentum, force, and sequencing to refine speed, energy transfer, and front leg mechanics for sustained pace.

Cracking Under Pressure? It's Your Brain, Not Your Bat

Research shows mental fatigue impacts batting exceeding mere concentration—affecting speed and decision-making. Elite batting requires processing multiple variables simultaneously. Conventional training emphasises technique but neglects cognitive demands of pressure situations. Neuro Batting addresses this gap by training visual processing and cognitive endurance, enabling batters to maintain decision-making quality when fatigued—the key difference between players who crumble versus those who excel.

BETWEEN THE EARS

Victory Within

"I hate to lose mentally." - Rafa Nadal
Champions accept physical defeat but never mental capitulation. Psychological flexibility demands maintaining focused attention, optimal intensity, and forward intent until the final moment. What separates exceptional performers isn't avoiding all losses, but ensuring complete commitment throughout—separating those who compete from those who dominate.

Job Board

JOB OF THE WEEK 🏏

Men’s Head Coach, Titan’s Cricket, Centurion

The Momentum Multiply Titans are searching for an ambitious and motivated Head Coach to lead our professional men’s team to new heights.

🔗UK: View Complete Job Board 🔗

🔗AUS: View Complete Job Board 🔗

_{Coaching Pro - Cricket Edition is a Contentive Publication in the Sports Division}