Indian cricketers are “more forgiving” of mental health problems than cricketers from England and Australia, according to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who also noted the difficulty that tight bio-secure conditions pose for the game. With the resumption of international cricket, the players have been forced to live in bio-bubbles, confined to hotels and stadiums. They don’t have ties to anyone outside of the bubble, which makes it impossible for players to remain inspired and new.
“I believe Indians are more compassionate than people from other countries (cricketers). I’ve played with a lot of Englishmen, Australians, and West Indians who have completely abandoned their mental health “At a virtual promotional function, the former India captain said.
“It’s been very difficult in the last six-seven months, with too much cricket going on in the bio-bubble. It’s an entirely different life moving from the hotel room to the ground, dealing with the pressure, returning to the room, and then returning to the ground.”
Ganguly also used the example of the Australian cricket team, who cancelled their tour of South Africa after losing to India.
In March-April, Australia was supposed to go on a three-Test tour, but they cancelled it due to a “unacceptable level of health and safety danger to players, support personnel, and the community.”
“Take the Australian side, for example. They were scheduled to play a Test series in South Africa after India played there. They were adamant about not going…
“And then there’s the COVID scare.” ‘I’m praying it’s not me next time.’ You must have a good attitude and psychologically prepare yourself. We must also physically prepare ourselves in order for good to occur. “Education is the key,” Ganguly said.
The former India captain also remembered his career’s greatest loss, when he was stripped of his captaincy in 2005 and finally dropped, only to come back with a bang.
“What you have to do now is live with it.” It’s all about the attitude you adopt. There are no promises in life, whether in sports, industry, or anything else. You have ups and downs in your life. What you have to do now is bite the bullet. Pressure is a major factor in everyone’s life. We are also subjected to varying levels of stress.
“It’s the pressure of establishing yourself and proving to the world that you belong at this stage when you play your first Test.”
“And when you get to that stage after playing a lot of games, it’s just about maintaining your results.” “A little blip doesn’t deter people from scrutinising you, and it adds a lot to athletes,” he said.