Mental health issues are something that are not necessarily talked about in sports. Only a few sport persons come out and talk about the menace that has ended many careers.
Now in an explicit interview with Indian Express, former Indian pacer Praveen Kumar has opened up about his issues with depression. He has admitted he wanted to end his life after suffering from mental health issues. It was only after he saw a photograph of his smiling children inside the car that stopped the 33-year-old from taking the extreme step.
“I told myself, ‘Kya hai yeh sab? Bas khatam karte hain (What’s all this? Let me just end it)’,” Kumar told The Indian Express in an exclusive interview.
“I realised I can’t do this to my phool-jaise bachche (innocent children), put them through this hell. I turned back,” he added.
A cricketer who once made the batsmen eat dust with his nipping swing bowling, Kumar opened up about depression and mental health issues in India as he said that almost nobody knows about depression in Meerut and hardly a few know about it in India.
“India mein depression concept hee kahan hota hai (Who understands depression in India)? Nobody knows about it and in Meerut, certainly not. I had no one to talk to, felt almost constant chid-chidapan (irritation). As a fast bowler, I had to do a lot of thinking (to out-smart batsmen). I told the counsellor I was unable to switch off thoughts,” he explained.
Having lost his place in the side almost eight years ago, that led to the loss of fame, it pushed Kumar into state of depression. However, he wants to become a bowling coach and emphasises on the fact that the Uttar Pradesh Ranji team doesn’t have a bowling coach.
“I had been bowling so well. In England, everybody praised me. I was dreaming about a Test career. Suddenly, gaya sab kuch (it was all gone). I got the feeling everybody thought PK was retired, not free. Does no one know the Uttar Pradesh Ranji team doesn’t have a bowling coach? I should be with the team and not be sitting here in Meerut,” Kumar said.
It is another tale of a cricketer going through a torrid time resulting in mental health issues. Just a few months back, two Australian players- Glenn Maxwell, Will Pucosvski and
Nic Maddinson opted out of cricket for indefinite period citing mental health issues.
It is a subject that has to be talked about and understood. It is real and is affecting many in our society.