I am a right-hand batsman. I often take my eyes off short-pitched deliveries, and as a result, suffer blows on my body. How can I improve tackling such deliveries?

(Ratan Chakraborty, 19, Calcutta)

Keep your head still and watch the ball till the end.

I am an allrounder. I feel I have been a victim of unjust selection to my district side. A player with lesser capabilities has been preferred instead of me. Since then I have failed to motivate myself and get my focus back. Please help.

(A. Patra, Howrah-5)

Don’t ever lose heart. No pain, no gain. Get even more determined and your time will come.

I am a right-arm medium pacer. What are the advantages and disadvantages of bowling for and against the wind?

(Aryan Vaid, 14, Calcutta-42)

Bowling with the wind is less exertion on the body as opposed to bowling in to the breeze. In both cases slight adjustments have to be made to the run up to the crease.

I am a medium pacer and would like to know how one can keep the seam upright when bowling?

(Rahul Das, 16, Calcutta-40)

Work with your coach on getting a nice high arm action and good wrist position. That will get the ball to come out nicely.

I am a right-hand batsman. I often fail to judge the length of the ball when driving. Please help.

(Tapan Verma, 19, Jamshedpur)

Keep a steady head and watch the ball closely. Also work on your footwork.

I am a right-hand batsman. Whenever I try to lift the ball over the boundary it doesn’t reach too far. Is it due to less of bottomhand into the shot?

(Tapan Pramanik, 19, Calcutta)

Hitting sixes is not all about power. Timing is equally important. A good follow through will help.

I am a medium pacer but often fail to maintain line and length. Should I sacrifice pace and concentrate on accuracy?

(Amit Poddar, 21, Calcutta)

Again keep a still head and focus on the spot you want the ball to land. It will help you a lot.

I am a right-hand batsman. Is it wise to take guard outside the leg stump when facing leg spinners?

(Aambit Saha, 17, Calcutta)

Not a good idea. Stick to the basics.

I am a medium pacer. When the batsman is in a murderous mood, what should be the ideal length to bowl at him?

(Tamal Chakraborty, 18, Durgapur)

Be patient and stick to a solid line and bowl to your field.

My 13-year-old son has just started playing. What sort of a bat should he start with?

(Aparna Som, 37, Calcutta-19)

Get a small size bat which he is comfortable with and on the lighter side.