EMBRACE YOUR NERVES

I’ve always adopted the idea that nerves are a very good thing, but obviously, it’s about how you deal with them. For me, if I wasn’t nervous it would mean that I didn’t care. I’m always nervous before every innings.

TRUST YOUR GAME-PLAN

When I go out to bat I’m always trying to enforce my game-plan. I take an off-stump guard, which is something I’ve done for about two years. I do that to make bowlers bowl to my strength more, which is through mid-wicket, and by covering all my stumps it helps me leave the ball a little bit better. It helps me line the ball up. If guys want to get me out, they’re going to have to hit my pads.

I’m actually not a big netter, I don’t net during a game. The day before the game is the big day for me, I do all my preparation and get into a state where I feel like I’m going to go out and score runs. When batting on surfaces that are maybe a little bit tired or the bowlers are bowling off eighteen yards, I feel like it might just get me out of nick rather than anything else.