When Virat Kohli felt 'the world had ended': Indian captain finally speaks about mental health issues

The issue of mental health has been a matter of several debates and discussions ever since Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell took an indefinite break from the game owing to the same. Ahead of the first Test match against Bangladesh, Indian captain Virat Kohli addressed the issue and lauded Maxwell for coming out with it and for setting a good example for the rest of the cricketers.

"You know when you get to the international stage, every player that's in the squad needs that communication - that ability to speak out. I think what Glenn has done is remarkable," Kohli said in Indore.

The Indian captain also spoke about his own career and recalled the horrors of the 2014 England Tour when he believed his career had come to a hault.  "I have gone through a phase in my career where I had felt that it was the end of the world. I just didn't know what do and what to say to anyone, How to speak, how to communicate," he recalled.

'He set the right example'

Kohli also said that these issues were extremely delicate and hence, there should be a proper channel in place to establish communication with the players. He also said that at times, things reach a tipping point for cricketers after which, they feel the need to step back and allow some breathing space.

"He set the right example for cricketers all over the world. If you are not in best frame of mind, you try, try and try, but as human beings you reach a tipping point at some stage or the other and you need time," Kohli said.

"Not to say that you give up but just to gain more clarity, you tend to take a bit more space which, in my opinion, is quite acceptable and quite a nice thing to do when you are not able to carry on anymore," he said.

He also asked people not to take this issue lightly or in a negative way as these things come down to basic human level when a person feels the need to let go of things. It should be mentioned here that former England cricketer Marcus Trescothick was the first cricketer who spoke about this issue and it has been discussed more openly in the recent times which is a great sign.

"If you think a player is important for the team, for Indian cricket, he needs to be looked after. When you get to the international stage, every player needs to have the communication in place, the ability to speak out," the skipper said responding to a question about Indian cricketers and the intense scrutiny they are put under.