A player can be excellent skill-wise and yet struggle to perform if he is not mentally equipped to deal with the challenges posed in the professional sport, reiterated Sri Lankan spin legend, Muttiah Muralitharan.
Muralitharan, the game's highest Test and ODI wicket-taker, stressed upon the need for players to be honest about their mental health and take care of it as much as they do with the skill part of their games.
Good thing is that in recent years cricketers and other sportspersons are feeling more comfortable opening up on their struggles with mental health issues. That, of course, has happened because of greater sensitivity and acceptance amid the public that a player taking a break to look after his mental health isn't the case of him running away from any challenges.
"In any game, 90 per cent of the work is to be tactically and mentally fit. Only then can you play. When you are young, you won't immediately think about that (being mentally fit) because of your interest and love for the game," said Muralitharan on Star Sports 1 Tamil show 'Mind Masters' by MFORE.
"Automatically, without being told, you'll think about what to do and do it. But when you get into the professional level, it's totally a mental game because of the pressure."
"A lot of cricketers who have good technique and haven't dealt with this pressure, have fallen off. So, the mental aspect is most important in any sport, not just cricket," he added.
More awareness on the matter has led various cricket boards to do extra in terms of providing mental health assistance to their players. Muralitharan, however, reckons while that is brilliant to have, players must also look after themselves.
"The mind is the most important in professional sport. While one can practice & train hard and hone one's technical skills, it's critical to keep working to become strong in the mind," he said.
"For there will be failures, one may fail to play a shot he always backs himself to, one may not be able to bowl a ball he usually delivers, but if you keep persevering at it and keep practising don't give up and importantly keep believing that you can do it and definitely you will succeed."
Muralitharan himself faced huge pressure during his career, being Sri Lanka's best strike weapon, but more apparently when he was accused of operating with an illegal action. Former umpire Darell Hair called regular no-balls while Murali was bowling in a match because of his action during the 1995-96 tour of Australia. Overcoming that, he ended with over 1,300 international wickets.
"I used to bowl leg-spin also when I was young, so I thought in case I went for tests on my action and then it doesn't work, I'd become a leg spinner," said Muralitharan.
"As for everything, even when you play cricket you should have plan A & plan B. You can't just stick to one plan. Same with any sport."
"Anyday you can face failure in your life or sport, failure is guaranteed, you will need to think about it and take it positively and move on saying tomorrow is another day," he concluded.
(Inputs from IANS)
