Confidence Player - What the hell is that supposed to mean?

[honestbharani]

So I was watching some highlights today afternoon as its a holiday and a commentator mentioned how one player was a confidence player and the other commentator said - yeah, well, most are.

It got me thinking. Is there a player who actually does not play better when they are confident?

And in essence, that is what a "confidence player"' means, right? They play better when they are feeling more confident.

I guess in general, they use it to describe players who need to be confident to be anywhere close to their best while there maybe a few others who dont vary so much from their mean even when they are not at their most confident self, but its such a misnomer even in that context, lol.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

He's in good touch, probably?

 

[reyrey]

It got me thinking. Is there a player who actually does not play better when they are confident?

Maybe it's possible to be too confident. An example might be Joe Root and him playing high risk shots that cause him get out.

He'd probably be a better if he was less confident and put those risky shots away.

 

[Coronis]

Probably the difference between a player who needs to be on a good run and in good form to have good performances vs a player who can consistently pull them off, no matter their previous form or match situation.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I see the contrast of this between our batsmen and say the Aussies, they come in hungry looking for singles to turn the score over, while ours are confidently accumulating dot balls.

I say from ball one that a batsman should look hungry to score. Mindset.

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah but its the corollary that interests me - is there any player whose output may actually go down when they are feeling confident?

 

[Arachnodouche]

It was Murali Kartik, wasn't it?

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Yeah but its the corollary that interests me - is there any player whose output may actually go down when they are feeling confident?

There's a guy who debuted in early 2000s for us, Leon Garrick (Him and Gayle made over 400 runs opening the batting for Jamaica in that season), called up to make his test debut...absolutely confident... turned out the first ball he faced he timed them too well into the hands of point fielder Pollock (?) for a golden duck.

He made 20-odd in the second innings but never got back a game at test level. If only we'd persist with him...

 

[Coronis]

Yeah but its the corollary that interests me - is there any player whose output may actually go down when they are feeling confident?

I can’t think of one off the top of my head. But I’m sure there are some who might come in nervous and be able to build a proper innings and also come in confident and throw their wicket away consistently.

 

[jcas0167]

Inconsistent.

 

[Prince EWS]

Inconsistent.

Yeah this. And to perhaps be a little more specific, an inconsistent player who has hot streaks and cold streaks (as opposed to Marcus North who was randomly inconsistent innings to innings).

 

[Athlai]

Filthy downhill skier

 

[TheJediBrah]

Nah people vary a lot in this regard. Some are more reliant on feeling confident to perform and get mopey and **** and when things aren't going well for them. Not just in sport but life in general.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Maybe it's possible to be too confident. An example might be Joe Root and him playing high risk shots that cause him get out.

He'd probably be a better if he was less confident and put those risky shots away.

He's got too much McCullfidence. It's a Bazball thing.

 

[CricAddict]

Yeah but its the corollary that interests me - is there any player whose output may actually go down when they are feeling confident?

Joe Root. And now Steve Smith as well who is feeling too confident as an opener.

 

[Starfighter]

Inconsistent.

Yup. I was thinking it's more of an excuse than anything else.

 

[Shady Slim]

Yup. I was thinking it's more of an excuse than anything else.

i mean, not really, i think it seeks to assign a reason for the inconsistency. some people are inconsistent because they’re not very good, or struggle when in unfavourable conditions, whereas others are inconsistent because of the mental block in the style of a confidence player

 

[Starfighter]

i mean, not really, i think it seeks to assign a reason for the inconsistency. some people are inconsistent because they’re not very good, or struggle when in unfavourable conditions, whereas others are inconsistent because of the mental block in the style of a confidence player

Or to spin it another way, they're not so good because they're mentally weak.

 

[NotMcKenzie]

It’s the cricket-specific version of a confidence man.

 

[Flem274*]

I've always taken it as code for a player who gets down on themselves easily but is happy as Larry and extroverted af when in good form.