Have you ever been to a game of cricket? Both sides are tense when the match is in slog overs. The Fielding side intends to change the field to suit the bowling plan. The batting side is keen and looking to penetrate the fielder's gaps or hit over the boundary.
The stadium is intensely involved, and the final few overs are sure to offer a nail-biting finish.
As the bowler gets ready, you see the batters at the two ends at the center of the pitch decipher the fielding plan.
Then the batter on strike slowly walks back to the crease and thinks for a bit. The batter signals the umpire about requiring a fresh guard.
What the batter has done is a pause, create doubt in the minds of the bowler for what he is thinking, and take a moment to recompose himself and revise a plan for a few scenarios the bowler might bring to him.
In other words, by taking a fresh guard, the batter has prepared for scenarios he might encounter and charted a plan to appropriately respond or counterattack.
This is an absolutely fantastic strategy. No matter how well you are prepared, last-minute surprises are not uncommon, and we must inspect our environment and take a new stance to think through all that might surprise us and have a plan for a counter. Then have a go at it!
On a lighter note, the batter may just be calming his nerves by walking around. Which is also a good strategy regardless...
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