Virat Kohli is one of the most celebrated sportspersons in the world, and in a rare, candid conversation he has opened up about one of his dark moments. During a chat with England player Mark Nicholas on his Not Just Cricket podcast, Kohli opened up about how he suffered from depression during the England tour of 2014.
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“Yes, I did,” was Virat’s response when asked whether he had suffered from depression at the time.
During the conversation, Kohli said, “It’s not a great feeling to wake up knowing that you won’t be able to score runs and I think all batsmen have felt that at some stage that you’re not in control of anything at all.” As per a report in the Times Of India, Kohli’s performance was disastrous during the said tournament. He registered scores of 1, 8, 25, 0, 39, 28, 0, 7, 6 and 20 in five Tests, which resulted in an average score of 13.5 out of 10 innings.
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Speaking about the experience, Kohli said, “You just don’t understand how to get over it. That was a phase when I literally couldn’t do anything to overturn things…I felt like I was the loneliest guy in the world.”
Virat Kohli wished he had help from a mental health professional
While talking about that phase in his life, Kohli said that while he had a support system, he wished he could reach out to a professional to deal with his depression. “Personally, for me that was a revelation that you could feel that lonely even though you are a part of a big group. I won’t say I didn’t have people who I could speak to but not having a professional to speak to who could understand what I am going through completely, I think is a huge factor. I think I would like to see it change,” said Kohli.
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He also added that seeking professional help for one’s mental health is important as it can make or break a person. “Someone whom you can go to at any stage, have a conversation around and say, ‘Listen this is what I am feeling, I am finding it hard to even go to sleep, I feel like I don’t want to wake up in the morning. I have no confidence in myself, what do I do?’,” said Kohli.
In conclusion, Kohli also remarked, “Lot of people suffer with that feeling for longer periods of time, it carries on for months, it carries on for a whole cricket season, people are not able to get out of it. I strongly feel the need for professional help there to be very honest.”
Kohli is one of the few Indian celebrities who have shared their mental health journeys in the public domain. Previously, Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone talked extensively about depression and even launched her The Live Love Laugh Foundation to provide professional mental health help to those who need it.
Social and lead image credit: Instagram/virat.kohli
