Players follow customised training methods. Mahela Jayawardene likes a good hit before a game, first facing fast bowlers, then switching to spinners. During practice, he goes over the basics, gets his feet moving and searches for the reassuring feel of ball.
Other than this, Mahela strives to keep his mind focused, but free and uncluttered. The trick, he explains, is to control what is controllable.

Compared to this, David Warner's pre-match routine is more intense. In Hyderabad, a day before the game, he spent more than an hour batting in the draining heat, trying out shots he'd use in a match situation. “Why such a longish net,” I asked. His reply: “After playing the red ball for months, I need to look out for the white ones now.”

The writer is a Delhi Daredevils official