Agency :
India’s batter Virat Kohli said a recent drought had affected his well-being, mimicking the intensity to show that all was well.
Kohli and other leading cricketers, such as England test captain Ben Stokes, are candid about their mental health issues. Kohli himself recently said he had suffered from depression after a string of bat failures during India’s 2014 UK tour.
One of the world’s best batsmen in his prime, the former India captain has endured a lengthy meager patch and has failed to register an international century since scoring his 70th in a test match in November 2019.
After a month-long hiatus as he skipped India’s white-ball trips through the West Indies and Zimbabwe, Kohli returns to Asian Cup action.
“For the first time in ten years I haven’t touched a bat in a month,” Kohli told the Asian Cup channel Star Sports. “I came to realize that I’ve been trying to fake my intensity a little bit lately.
“You convince yourself of ‘No, I have the intensity’. But your body is telling you to stop. Your mind is telling you to take a break and take a step back.”
England’s Stokes said this week that he took an extended break from cricket last year to focus on his mental wellbeing after experiencing panic attacks following his father’s death nearly two years ago. read more
India kicks off their Asian Cup title defense against arch-rival Pakistan on Sunday, with pundits backing Kohli to get back into shape. read more
“I am seen as a man who is very strong mentally, and I am,” added Kohli. “But everyone has a limit, and you have to recognize that limit, otherwise it can become unhealthy for you.
“I’m not shy to admit I was feeling mentally down. This is completely normal to feel, but we don’t talk because we hesitate. We don’t want to be considered mentally weak. Trust me, pretending to be strong is much worse than admitting you’re weak.”
