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.

• 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

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

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.

• 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

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

Please subscribe to the show, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with a player, parent or coach who you think might find it helpful.

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/

Website: www.cricketmind.online

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