Cricket, as we all know, is by far the biggest and more popular sport in India. The personalities who play the game at the highest level are loved and idolized by millions, many of them children. Several youngsters prefer to regard cricketers as 'role-models'. I see nothing wrong in this. It will only benefit a child if he or she attempts to emulate someone who has reached the top by believing in the three Ds; discipline, dedication and determination.

Parents, who not very long ago were reluctant to let their children pursue anything other than academics, have become open-minded and more sports-friendly. But some of them tend to take things too far. Haven't all of us seen four and five year-olds being dragged to cricket grounds with bats as tall as their wielders!

What is the ideal age at which a child's formal coaching should begin? In my view, the best time to start is when the child is eight-ten years old. Boys in that age-group have generally acquired some understanding of the game of cricket. They have watched matches on television and played with a soft ball. Most of them are also aware of what excites them more - batting, bowling or fielding.

A coach's foremost priority should be to refrain from tinkering too much with something that is natural and inbuilt. It is pointless to expose eight year-olds to the intricacies of technique. At that age, a child should be told to simply go out there and 'hit' the ball. The psychology of an eight year-old child is simple and straightforward. He wants to bat because he wants to 'hit' the ball. A coach should accordingly do his best to ensure that the child feels comfortable while 'hitting' the ball. He should be given as many opportunities to 'middle' the ball as possible. The more he middles the ball, the more confident he will get. Basically, he should be left to himself, and told to go to the middle and have a blast while batting. Batting is all about 'feeling' good. The manner in which a youngster middles a ball will help a good coach to judge the former's batting capabilities. A boy who 'middles' the ball more will also like to bat for longer periods.

The coach should introduce his wards to 'non-negotiable' aspects like the right grip and stance only after they have batted and middled the ball to their hearts' content. The grip and stance tend to vary from individual to individual. As stated above, a coach shouldn't tamper too much with nature. It is important that he helps the boys to achieve a balance between natural traits and technical adjustments. A coach should ensure that the technical modifications he makes in a child's natural style make him a better batsman.

Every coach has to be patient. Some children are quick learners, while others take longer to grasp the nuances. There is a fair bit of peer pressure even at that age, and a coach should exploit it in a constructive manner. A student who may not have picked up something related to the grip or stance, could be told discreetly to watch someone who has. When he observes that his classmate has improved as a batsman after doing what the coach had told all of them to do, the student will be motivated to introduce the same component in his batting.

The grip and stance cannot be taught without demonstrations. It is our duty to demonstrate the same to the kids, and help them even as they emulate us. A comfortable grip and stance will ensure better balance while batting.

Footwork is another key 'non-negotiable' aspect of batting, but it is something that can be introduced when the child is a little older. Nothing should be allowed to come between an eight year-old child and his urge to 'hit' the ball. Everything else merely follows.