NEW DELHI: Former Indian captain Virat Kohli opened up on mental health problems and urged aspiring athletes to focus on mental well-being as well apart from physical fitness.
Indian star batter Kohli, who is currently going through a slump in international cricket as he struggled to score a century since November 2019, shared his experience of coping with mental health concerns and recalled feeling alone occasionally despite being surrounded by his near and dear ones.
“I personally have experienced times when even in a room full of people who support and love me, I felt alone, and I am sure that this is a feeling that a lot of people can relate to. So, take out time for yourself and reconnect with your core self. If you lose that connection, it wouldn’t take very long for other things to crumble around you,” said Kohli in an interview with Indian Express.
Kohli believed that the amount of pressure that an athlete had to endure could have serious repercussions on the mental well-being of an individual.
“For an athlete, the sport can bring the best out of you as a player but at the same time, the amount of pressure that you are constantly under, can affect your mental health negatively. It is definitely a serious issue and as much as we try to be strong at all times, it can tear you apart.” he said.
Furthermore, he advised young athletes to strike a balance between physical and mental fitness.
“My tips to aspiring athletes would be that yes, physical fitness and focus on recovery is the key to being a good athlete, but at the same time, it is crucial to consistently keep in touch with your inner self,” he said.
“You need to learn how to compartmentalise your time so that there’s balance. It takes practice like anything else in life, but it’s something worth investing in, that’s the only way to feel a sense of sanity and enjoyment while doing your work,” he added.
Kohli, who completed his 14 years in international cricket today as he made his debut for India on this day in 2008 against Sri Lanka, believed that the competition and challenging himself from time to time made him a better sportsman.
“I believe that competition brings the best out of me in terms of agility and focus, and in a sport like cricket, you need to work towards being precise in what you do and there is no room for error – this challenges me as a person, and is actually something that I look forward to the most!” he concluded.
It is pertinent to mention here that the star Indian batter has many records to his credit, whereas he has amassed 23726 runs in international cricket, including 43 ODI and 27 Test centuries.
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