Bhuvneshwar Kumar highlights the importance of monitoring mental health for any athlete

Several athletes have recently voiced their opinion on the importance of mental health in the world of sport.

In a webinar hosted by GainAccess Sports & Entertainment and SportzPower, Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed that it is necessary to manage mental stress for any athlete with professional assistance.

“When you play cricket for a few years and then suddenly you disappear, it becomes difficult for you to accept it. The cause for it could be anything... your time is up or you are not as good as you used to be or there is someone who is better than you and took your place. Even you could be going through personal stress and it might affect your game. So it is very important that you address these things with professional help,” Bhuvneshwar Kumar was quoted as saying. 

Kumar spoke about how painful it is to miss out on the action due to a series of injuries. He also believes that it's important to be patient and respectful towards each other in such trying circumstances. 

“I was out of the Indian team for four months due to injuries. Now, we play so much cricket that you could miss out on four series in the space of those four months. Someone new could come and take your place in the side by performing well in those four series. So a spate of injuries could really frustrate you. For example, if I am out of the team, I need to find the reason and accept why I am out of the team. Is it because I am not doing well or is it because someone is doing better than me, ” he added.

Known for his wide repertoire of skills with the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has so far claimed 236 wickets out of 178 matches in his international career. 

The 30-year-old pacer recalled his NCA training days, where coaches used to curate mental conditioning exercises for youngsters.

“As individuals, what we could do is practise some mental exercises which is still done at NCA for age-group cricket. They teach you the mental aspect of the game, how you go through bad times and how you come out of it. You need to go to your coaches and seniors and learn how they came back from those setbacks. It is disheartening to see well-known cricketers going through tough times. It’s sad to see,” Kumar said. 

[TOI inputs]