AI is assisting England Women's cricket coach in team selection

England Women's cricket coach Jon Lewis is utilising artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the team's performance, particularly in team selection and match strategy.

"I can send multiple different line-ups to the PSi in London and they run, I think, about 250,000 simulations per team that I send, with all different permutations that could happen through the game," Lewis said. This partnership with PSi began during his tenure as coach of the UP Warriorz franchise in India's Women's Premier League.

Partnering with London-based PSi, Lewis now integrates AI into his decision-making process for squad composition, team balance, and in-game match-ups between players.

Through a sophisticated system, PSi runs simulations for various line-ups, generating approximately 250,000 outcomes per team sent, allowing Lewis and his coaching staff to analyse and assess potential scenarios thoroughly.

Despite leveraging AI, Lewis emphasised the importance of maintaining a "people-first approach" in coaching. He said, "What data can do is give you a really objective view of what could happen and what has happened previously. I think it will help with borderline decisions in terms of selection and match-ups." However, he acknowledged the objective view that data-driven analysis offers, particularly in making difficult decisions regarding team selection and match-ups.

Reflecting on the impact of AI in the context of last season's Ashes series against arch-rivals Australia, Lewis shared specific instances where AI-driven insights influenced key selections and strategic decisions.

"There was one selection particularly last year, one period of the Ashes that we targeted as a team. There were a couple of selections where AI really helped because both players I was thinking about picking were both in really good form and were both really selectable and it did help with those selections," he said.

Lewis's approach to integrating AI into coaching methodologies aligns with broader trends in the sports industry, where technology is increasingly becoming a central component of performance optimisation.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach recently underscored the potential of AI in revolutionising sports, highlighting its ability to identify talented athletes worldwide and offer personalised training methods.

Moreover, Lewis's collaboration with PSi exemplifies the growing intersection between sports and technology, where advanced analytics and AI-driven insights are reshaping traditional approaches to coaching and player development. By harnessing the power of AI, Lewis aims to equip the England Women's cricket team with the strategic advantage needed to excel in the highly competitive landscape of international cricket.

Looking ahead, Lewis remains committed to leveraging technology responsibly, ensuring that AI complements, rather than replaces, the human element in coaching.

(AFP)