THE FUTURE OF CRICKET COACHING: EFFECT OF 8-WEEK VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATION INTERVENTION FOR ENHANCING BATTING SKILLS AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Abstract

Cricket coaching has long depended on in-person training and video analysis, but the emergence of Virtual Reality (VR) offers a modern solution to simulate real match scenarios. This study implemented a structured 8-week VR training simulation to improve batting skills and mental toughness in young cricketers. Twenty intentionally selected male right-handed batsmen (16–19 years) from the Under-19 Interstate Championship, Punjab, participated. Using the Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory (CMTI) and IB Cricket software with an Oculus Quest Advance 2.0 headset, each player completed 24 sessions (35 minutes, three sessions per week). Results showed significant improvement in batting skills, with post-training scores (M = 31.40, SD = 2.97) outperforming pre-training scores (M = 27.97, SD = 2.18) (t(19) = 2.27, p < 0.05). Mental toughness also improved (M = 90.10, SD = 4.67) (M = 82.45, SD = 4.02) (t(19) = 2.45, p < 0.05). Overall, VR proved effective for enhancing batting ability, muscle activation, and cricket-specific mental toughness.