A Comparative Study of Psychological Traits Among Female Cricket Players

The psychological makeup of athletes plays a pivotal role in determining their performance outcomes, particularly in mentally demanding sports like cricket. This study offers a comparative analysis of key psychological traits—namely anxiety, self-confidence, motivation, aggression, and mental toughness—among female cricket players across different levels of competition: university, state, and national. A total of 120 female cricketers (n = 40 per group) with a minimum of two years of competitive experience participated in the study. Standardized and psychometrically validated tools were employed, including the Sports Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), Mental Toughness Inventory (MTI), Aggression Questionnaire, Sport Motivation Scale, and Self-Confidence Inventory. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test via SPSS 26.0 to determine intergroup differences. The results revealed statistically significant differences in self-confidence (p < .01), motivation (p < .05), and mental toughness (p < .01), with national-level players scoring consistently higher on these dimensions. No significant differences were observed in aggression and anxiety, suggesting potential early adaptation and uniform psychological coaching. These findings underscore the necessity of integrating sport-specific psychological training, especially at the foundational stages of female cricket development. The study contributes to the growing discourse on sport psychology in women's cricket and provides data-driven recommendations for psychological skill training (PST) integration in athlete development models.