What might cause dips in form for a batsman?

In chapter 1 of ‘form’ by Mike Brearly, he suggests that mood might be one cause for a dip in form for a batsman.

What situations can cause a mood that causes a dip in form?

Perhaps low confidence and a run of low scores are the most common things that prevent players from performing as capably as they can. This could be caused by a variety of factors! Each cause may require a different approach to resolve.

Perhaps there is a vulnerability in their batting technique that has been found out by opposition bowlers! In that situation a completely different approach is needed.

Perhaps their run of low scores is simply due to bad luck and they don’t need to change anything. Perhaps they cannot play the short ball. Perhaps it’s due to a distraction in their personal life or due to how they have reacted to a run of low scores. Perhaps the social environment of the team doesn’t suit them and they are unhappy/unmotivated within that particular team! It could also be caused by something biological like a physical injury from over-playing. We can see how complicated a dip in form can be for a batsman.

What causes a batsman to have a dip in form is incredibly complex and perhaps best dealt with by a team including a coach and a psychiatrist/psychologist working together.

That’s because to identify the exact reason for a dip in form can be very involved and complex sometimes. The reason will affect the solution! I guess it’s every coaches dream for the cause to simply be bad luck…! That way the solution would be to simply enable the batsman to trust their skills that have allowed them to reach a competitive level and to be patient.