Sachin Tendulkar Reveals He Had Battled Anxiety For 10-12 Years Of His Career

Over the years, several famous cricketers have said a lot about mental health by sharing their own experiences. Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and others have opened up, as per TNN.

Sachin Tendulkar too has joined this group in a recent interaction. The 48-year-old stressed on the importance of mental health, which is now more important than ever during the pandemic.

"Over a period of time I realised that besides preparing physically for a game, you have to prepare yourself mentally also. In my mind, the match started long before I entered the ground. The anxiety levels were very high," Tendulkar said in an interaction organised by Unacademy.

He further opined, "I felt anxiety for 10-12 years, and had many sleepless nights before a game. Later on, I started accepting that it was part of my preparation. Then I made peace with the times I was not able to sleep at night. I would start doing something to keep my mind comfortable."

Reuters

That "something" included shadow batting, watching TV and playing video games in the wee hours of the day. Even making his morning cup of tea helped him prepare for the game. Making tea, ironing my clothes also helped me prepare for the game. I would pack my bag the day before the game, my brother taught me all of it and it became a habit. I followed the same drill even in the last match I played for India," said the 48-year-old, who called it quits after playing his 200th Test match in late 2013.

The Master Blaster, who retired with over 34,000 international runs and 100 tons overall, stated that 'acceptability is the key or rather the first step while battling mental issues.

"When there is an injury, physios and doctors examine you and diagnose what is wrong with you. Same is the case with mental health. It is normal for anyone to go through ups and downs and when you hit those lows you need people around. Acceptability is the key here. Not just for the player, for people around him also. Once you have accepted you start looking for solutions."

PTI

The legendary batsman recalled how a Chennai hotel staff once came to his aid and helped him with a piece of advice, emphasising that an individual can learn from anyone.

"That person got me dosa in the room and after keeping it on the table, he offered advice. He pointed out that my elbow guard was restricting my bat swing, which was actually the case. He helped me address that issue," he added.

Tendulkar had a glorious and flawless run at the international level. Making his debut in 1989, he played the gentlemen's game till late 2013, breaking several records in the process and earning plaudits for his style of play worldwide. He was last seen on the cricket field while leading the India Legends during the 2021 Road Safety World Series in Raipur in March.

Tendulkar recently also recovered the Covid-19 infection and has donated generously in the country's fight against the second wave of the deadly virus.