When your cricket team is batting, the role of the changing room and balcony is to ensure that the next batter goes into the wicket feeling focused, relaxed and positive.

This is irrespective of the challenge that he is walking into.

It is our job as coaches to protect that environment; to educate the players in appropriate winning language and behaviours because they facilitate excellent performances from your players in the toughest of circumstances.

I got this email from a reader recently:

“I have read your articles on staying calm and relaxed at the crease but they don't seem to work. I have the ability but completely lack confidence in the middle. Please help!”

 I can hear the frustration in that email. I’ve seen it countless times before; the batter nervously waiting for his turn, already thinking about how he might get himself out or how the bowler is too good for him.

Heck, I’ve been there myself. In fact, much better players than me have.

It reminded me of the Canadian Singer Alanis Morrissette. She sings a song called You Oughta Know on the album Jagged Little Pill.

According to Forbes, Indian captain MS Dhoni made .5 million last year. That shows the rewards for cricket have never been greater for those with the right approach.

So how did he do it, and how can you emulate his success with your own game?

It’s quite possible that endless riches are before you if you can hit a cricket ball harder than anyone else. But Dhoni’s real talent doesn’t lie in bat speed, hand-eye coordination or counting the money.

You are certainly not alone. Everyone who has played cricket wonders how good they really are.

Some people take that wonder and run with it. Doing everything right to give themselves the best chance of success. Others take that wonder and think they are doing things right.

But the chances are that you are making one of these classic mistakes and it’s railroading your efforts to become a cricketer.

One of the real keys to coaching is to know your players and your team well enough so that you can raise or lower the pressure dial to get the most from your players.

Gaining rapport and building trust are the foundations that underpin coaching. Rapport and trust are more important than technical coaching. Without rapport and trust, even the most sound of advice often falls on deaf ears.

To illustrate how pressure, trust and rapport work, here are some real examples whereby pressure was added (or taken off) with highly positive outcomes.

It doesn’t matter how good a coach you have, because when you cross the white line it’s all down to you. No coach can play for you. You have to learn to understand your own game because you can adapt to the changes proposed by your coaches.

But in today's cricket world, a keen self-understanding is uncommon.

Meanwhile in the academic world the opposite is true.  Schools and Universities specialise in teaching skills then measuring how well you have learned through exams and coursework.

Karl Stevenson is a sports psychologist, who has been researching the ins and outs of anticipation and decision making skill in cricket batting. He has worked with top-flight county teams as well as teaming up with the ECB.

In a recent interview, we got some tips from the lab that can be used on the pitch:

Imagine opening the batting for Kings XI Punjab in Mohali. The opposition is Deccan Chargers and standing at the end of his run is no less that Dale Steyn; one of the world’s most destructive pacemen.

It’s fair to say your heart would be racing. That’s a situation experienced by 20 year old Punjab opener Mandeep Singh. Yet despite the pressure, the pace and fear he is flourishing. Many critics have him on the fast-track to becoming India’s next big thing.

From Harbhajan Singh to Dale Steyn, IPL 2012 has been littered with examples of cricketers pushing the Spirit of Cricket to its limits. The offenders will say it’s just passion over-spilling, but do you need a bad boy to succeed at your level?

The example of Harbhajan Singh is a good one to examine. The Mumbai Indian’s skipper argued for several minutes with the umpire, eventually forcing him to review his decision.

Ashok Dinda’s reputation is rising. He has played for India, takes wickets for fun in the IPL - despite being in a team of International stars - and has been endorsed by no less than Allan Donald.

He may not have a perfect bowling action, but he is certainly successful as a fast bowler. He can keep speeds up near 145kph and can swing the new ball. What is it you can learn from a player like this?

I put it down to two key elements. One is technical, the other is mental.