Virat Kohli walking off after failing in the game (Source:@Atomickohli18/X.com)
Jamie Overton, the English all-rounder, has decided to take an indefinite break from Test cricket. The cricketer has stated that it has become difficult for him physically and mentally to play all three formats at the top level.
The decision has brought the focus back on the aspect of mental fatigue for modern-day cricketers. The quantity of cricket in the last decade or so has increased quite a lot, with various franchise leagues adding to the workload after international commitments. In such a situation, many top cricketers have opted to take a break and prioritise their mental and physical health over the constant pressure of top-level cricket.
Thus, in this article, we will look at a few top cricketers who took a mental break from cricket.
1. Virat Kohli
The legendary batter took a 42-day break from cricket before the Asia Cup 2022. The batter later revealed that he took the break because he was mentally exhausted and added that he was faking intensity. The cricketer admitted that the break helped him get fresh mentally and get back to his best.
2. Glenn Maxwell
The Australian superstar has been one of the most vocal cricketers about mental health. The cricketer took his first mental health break in October 2019 during the T20I series against Sri Lanka. The cricketer cited depression for his decision before returning to the game.
The cricketer then took another mental health break during IPL 2024 after a poor performance for RCB.
3. Ben Stokes
The English Test skipper and charismatic all-rounder, Ben Stokes, took an indefinite break from cricket in July 2021. The cricketer revealed that he suffered from various panic attacks before taking a bold decision to step away from the game for some time.
Stokes eventually came back stronger and has been an inspirational figure in England's new approach towards Test cricket.
4. Ishan Kishan
The Indian wicketkeeper batter took an indefinite break from cricket to focus on his mental health during India's tour of South Africa 2023-24. He returned home midway during that series and has not been able to get back into the national side since then.
5. Jonathon Trott
The 2013 Ashes series turned out to be disastrous for a lot of England cricketers. It was a series where Mitchell Johnson absolutely dominated with his pace and hostile bowling. He brought fear into the minds of English batsmen, and one of them was Jonathon Trott, who took a 16-month break midway through the series after failures in the initial few matches.
He returned in 2015, but could not get back to his best and retired from the game soon.
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