Being under constant pressure can affect mental health negatively: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli spoke about the importance of focussing on mental health and revealed how he unwinds after hectic schedules in professional cricket.

Former India captain Virat Kohli has spoken about the importance of focusing on mental health, especially for young athletes who deal with constant scrutiny and pressure. Kohli said he has personally experienced difficult situations when it comes to mental health, adding he had felt alone, at times, despite being in a room full of people.

Virat Kohli offered a tip to young athletes, saying it's important to keep in touch with one's inner self and allocate time to make sure mental wellbeing is taken care of.

Virat Kohli, who is one of the most followed athletes going around, has been subject to constant scrutiny, especially in the recent past wherein he has gone through a lean patch in international cricket. Kohli took a backseat when he quit T20I captaincy and IPL captaincy last year. The decorated batter was removed as ODI captain following which he also gave up Test captaincy in an unforeseen manner earlier this year following a series defeat in South Afrifca.

However, Kohli has been vocal about the importance of mental health and breaks for cricketers. He was one of the first athletes to back Glenn Maxwell when the Australian all-rounder took a mental health break at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Kohli has also often shed light on how the pandemic has made life difficult for athletes as they have to constantly deal with restrictions and bio-bubble environments.

"For an athlete, the sport can bring the best out of you as a player but at the same time, the amount of pressure that you are constantly under, can affect your mental health negatively. It is definitely a serious issue and as much as we try to be strong at all times, it can tear you apart," Kohli told The Indian Express.

"My tips to aspiring athletes would be that yes, physical fitness and focus on recovery are the key to being a good athlete, but at the same time, it is crucial to consistently keep in touch with your inner self.

"I personally have experienced times when even in a room full of people who support and love me, I felt alone, and I am sure that this is a feeling that a lot of people can relate to. So, take out time for yourself and reconnect with your core self. If you lose that connection, it wouldn’t take very long for other things to crumble around you.