Cricket Mind Podcast

Why does India continue to produce so many outstanding cricketers — and what can young players and coaches in England learn from the Indian approach?
In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by former Indian first-class cricketer Raj Chaudhuri, founder of the First Class Cricket Academy in Sussex.
Raj reflects on growing up within India’s fiercely competitive cricket culture, where young players learned through street cricket, high-volume practice and exposure to older, stronger opponents. He also explores the differences between developing players in India and England — from talent identification and coaching standards to playing surfaces, junior formats and attitudes towards winning.
The conversation also examines Raj’s philosophy of confidence through competence: building genuine self-belief through strong fundamentals, repetition and the ability to perform skills consistently under pressure.
In this episode:
Raj’s journey from street cricket in India to first-class cricket and coaching in England
The influence of Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni on Indian cricket
Why young Indian players regularly train and compete alongside older players
India’s uncompromising approach to talent identification
The role of repetition, volume and strong fundamentals in player development
Raj’s first experience of English club cricket — and the culture shock it created
The strengths and weaknesses of cricket development in India and England
Why junior playing conditions can influence which players receive recognition
What Raj means by confidence through competence
What young players can learn from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul

Timestamps
00:00 – Why does India produce so many great cricketers?
01:56 – Raj’s journey from street cricket to first-class cricket
06:32 – India’s ruthless approach to selection and talent identification
16:25 – Street cricket, Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni’s influence
20:25 – How Indian academies test commitment and character
23:00 – Raj’s culture shock playing club cricket in England
30:26 – How coaching and practice differ between India and England
39:10 – What Indian and English cricket can learn from each other
41:04 – Building confidence through competence
42:57 – What young cricketers can learn from India’s best players
Find out more about the First Class Cricket Academy
Raj is the founder of the First Class Cricket Academy, which provides cricket coaching and player-development opportunities in Sussex.
Website: www.fccaltd.co.uk
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A duck can feel much bigger than it looks on a scorecard.
In this episode of the Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock answer real questions from parents of young cricketers: what to say after another duck, how to help when a child puts huge pressure on themselves, and how to support them through the inevitable highs and lows of the game.
They discuss how parents can be a steady source of support without accidentally making cricket feel heavier — whether that means handling difficult emotions, navigating trials, or balancing the roles of parent, coach, manager or umpire.
In this episode:
What to say — and what not to say — when your child gets out for nought
Why cricket can feel so individual, even though it is a team sport
How Play-Cricket, statistics and comparison can add pressure
How to support a child who puts huge pressure on themselves
What to do when emotions spill over after a poor performance
How to help a young player approach cricket trials with more clarity
The challenges of being a parent as well as a coach, manager or umpire
Why your child does not need you to be perfect — but does need to know you are on their side

Timestamps
00:00 — Supporting young cricketers: the questions parents ask
02:58 — What should you say when your child gets a duck?
05:50 — Why cricket feels so individual
14:20 — When your child puts huge pressure on themselves
21:01 — Anger, tears and meltdowns after poor performances
30:19 — Supporting a child at cricket trials
35:55 — Being a parent, coach, manager or umpire
45:44 — Preparing for Trials Workshop
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What helps some young cricketers grow through adversity while others become stuck?
Why do some players lose confidence after a setback, while others use it as a catalyst for improvement?
In this episode of the Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood is joined by Faisal Shahid, Academy Manager for Warwickshire Women, to explore the psychology of long-term player development.
Drawing on his experiences as an England U17 player, MCC Young Cricketer, professional cricketer and high-performance coach, Faisal shares his insights on confidence, resilience, motivation, identity and the ability to "survive bad days".
Whether you're a player, parent or coach, this conversation is packed with practical lessons to help young cricketers navigate setbacks, maintain motivation and continue developing through the ups and downs of the game.
In this episode:
• What long-term development actually looks like
• Why confidence is about surviving bad days
• The dangers of becoming obsessed with outcomes
• How setbacks can become opportunities for growth
• Why some players thrive through adversity while others struggle
• The role parents play in shaping confidence
• How to balance ambition with enjoyment
• Why identity and performance should remain separate
• What boys' and girls' cricket can learn from each other
• The biggest myths in youth cricket
⏱️ Timestamps
⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
02:41 – Long-Term Player Development
12:37 – Confidence and Surviving Bad Days
21:47 – Setbacks, Adversity and Resilience
34:09 – Motivation and Enjoyment
45:43 – Identity and Performance
48:44 – Coaching Boys and Girls
53:27 – Quickfire Questions
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🏏 Supporting Young Cricketers Workshop
Cricket Mind Online is hosting an online workshop for cricket parents on Tuesday 16th June at 7pm.
The workshop will explore practical ways parents can support confidence, resilience, enjoyment, motivation and long-term development in young cricketers.
Book your place here:
https://cricketmind.online/supporting-young-cricketers-workshop/
🔗 Connect with Cricket Mind Online
Website: www.cricketmind.online
Email: info@cricketmind.online
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Facebook: cricket.mind.online
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Why do so many talented young cricketers stop enjoying the game?

And do players really need to be in a talent pathway from a young age to have a realistic chance of becoming a professional cricketer?

In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by ECB Level 4 coach and coach developer Ben Silver for an honest conversation about talent pathways, cricket trials, player development, coaching overload, and what actually helps young cricketers improve over the long term.

Ben has worked across county cricket, England pathways, ECB Disability Cricket, and high-performance coaching — giving him a unique perspective on what coaches and selectors really look for, why some players thrive while others burn out, and how young cricketers can develop without losing their enjoyment of the game.

Alongside this, Ben also works with Cricket Mind Online as a high-performance coach, helping players optimise the quality of their training and practice routines.

In this episode:
What selectors actually look for in cricket trials
Why “high ceiling” players stand out
The truth about county age-group pathways
Whether players need early pathway selection to succeed
Why some talented players stop enjoying cricket
Coaching overload and social media cricket advice
The importance of messy practice and game-based learning
Why player development is rarely linear
What parents should really focus on

Timestamps:
00:00 — Jimmy Anderson and the Lancashire U15 “B” team
02:05 — Introducing Ben Silver
03:17 — What coaches and selectors look for at trials
07:33 — Risk vs reward during cricket trials
11:13 — Confidence, bravery and coachability
16:35 — Do players need to be in talent pathways early?
22:57 — Why some talented players stop enjoying cricket
34:38 — Are young cricketers being over-coached?
42:42 — Long-term development vs short-term winning
55:58 — What “messy practice” actually means

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Why do some players stay in cricket for years… while others quietly drift away?
In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by coach Laura de Silva and player Charlotte Bernstein for a powerful conversation about confidence, pressure, enjoyment, and the environments that keep players coming back.
This episode offers a unique perspective from both sides of the same environment — a coach working to build meaningful relationships and supportive cultures, and a young player experiencing those environments firsthand.
The conversation explores girls’ cricket, but the lessons apply across the game for players, parents and coaches alike.
In This Episode:
Why players really drop out of cricket
The importance of confidence and enjoyment
Why “unlucky” is banned in Laura’s coaching environments
Building strong coach–player relationships
Pressure, expectations and performance
The difference between boys’ and girls’ cricket environments
How coaches can create environments players want to return to
Why support matters more than frustration
Managing cricket alongside GCSEs, school and life
The role friendships play in long-term engagement
Why great environments help players perform better

Timestamps:
00:00 – Are we still losing too many players from cricket?
01:01 – Introducing Laura de Silva & Charlotte Bernstein
02:56 – What makes players want to keep turning up?
06:01 – What great coaches do differently
14:11 – What makes a strong coach–player relationship?
22:44 – Building real confidence in players
27:32 – Why “unlucky” is banned
30:06 – Pressure, expectations and performance
38:15 – Have you ever thought about quitting cricket?
45:06 – Why there still aren’t enough female coaches in cricket

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