Cricket Insights with Paul Ryan - empowering your team mates in the field

Cricket Insights | February 08, 2026

I’ve always believed a good cricket captain can empower their teammates to provide feedback, especially when they’re bowling or out in the field.

Now, the last thing a captain wants is too many voices offering opinions. But when used well, a simple feedback loop can be a real advantage for the captain and for the fielders.

One example is inviting a fielder to let you know if they haven’t touched the ball for five, six, or seven overs from a particular position.

That doesn’t mean you have to move them.

In fact, they might be exactly where you want them. The bowler could be bowling well into that area, and the batter may already be adjusting their scoring options because of that fielder’s presence.

But if runs are being picked up elsewhere, moving that same fielder can suddenly block scoring options and force the batter to think differently again.

The key point is this:

Feedback doesn’t always require action.

What it does do is keep fielders engaged, keep the captain thinking about the game, and keep the game moving forward.

When players are encouraged to think about how they contribute, even when the ball isn’t coming to them, the whole team stays connected, alert, and involved.

And that’s good captaincy..