I am a right-arm mediumpacer, my height is 5 feet 6 inches. I have been trying to reverse swing the old ball for the past year or so, but has been unsuccessful. My coach’s tips have not helped. What should I do?

(Kangkan Kr Das, 17, Guwahati)

It’s something that demands lot of practice and doesn’t happen overnight. It took even the great Kapil Dev a long time to get a hang of it. You need to be pretty nippy with a very good wrist action. Plus you got to work on the ball to get it right for reverse swing.

I am a right-handed batsman. Why playing an off-spinner, I often try to place the ball past the lone slip fielder but end up getting caught at slip. How do I overcome this problem?

(Tirtharup Chatterjee, 14, Hooghly)

Very simple. Don’t attempt that lousy nothing shot.

I am a right-handed batsman. Whenever I come down the pitch to a spinner and attempt the on-drive, the bat hits the pads on the follow through and I lose my balance. Why does this happen?

(Tirtha Pratim Sanyal, 19, Calcutta)

You are getting too far across on the front foot. As a result, you lose balance and don’t allow your bat to come through.

I have a problem with fielding. I am a safe catcher but am very poor in the outfield. Often I fail to stop regulation hits. Practice hasn’t really helped. Please advise.

(Tapan Roy, 19, Howrah)

You got to work on your fitness and agility to improve your fielding. Also you have to have the right technique to get your body behind the ball when you are trying to stop it.

Is yoga helpful in improving concentration while batting?

(Roktim Basu, 21, Calcutta-42)

A big help.

I am a middle-order batsman. How does one recognise the googly coming out of the bowler’s hand?

(Ratan Pandey, 25, Silchar)

Watch his hand closely and you will see the back of the palm at the time of delivery.

What is the right ball to attempt the sweep?

(Ambarish Dutta, 21, Calcutta-19)

A delivery that is little further up than good length. Also, you must pick the line early.

I am a mediumpacer. I fail to deliver the slower ball with the same action. Repeated practice hasn’t helped.

(S. Roy, 18, Calcutta-16)

Keep practising and don’t lose heart. Also check your grip. You may have to spread your fingers a bit at the time of delivery.

I am an opener. I often fail to negotiate the moving ball and end up getting caught at slips. Do I need to improve on my footwork?

(Rajib Basu, 19, Calcutta-42)

Yes. You certainly have to and meet the ball as close to the body as possible. Don’t push your hands towards it.

I am an off-spinner. How does one bowl the straighter?

(Ravi Patel, 16, Jamshedpur)

A slight alteration in the grip where you use your fore finger to push the seam in the direction of the batsman. This will happen even though your fingers are spread.