Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has taken the bold step of revisiting his mental health battle, which continues to be a black hole in sports. Uthappa shared his experiences from 2011; that was a year of immense personal turmoil for him during his hearty discussion. His revelations have come following a spate of tragic losses in the cricketing world, which claimed former cricketers David Johnson and Graham Thorpe among others, both of whom reportedly succumbed to years of battling depression.

Uthappa used their stories as poignant reminders to keep mental health issues in sharp focus. Reflecting on a journey well travelled, 38-year-old Uthappa said he is ashamed of what he has become and was totally lost in the year 2011 not knowing what to do the next moment. He stressed that one should merely try and get through each day in such times and focus merely on existing rather than seeing the bigger picture.

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Robin Uthappa added one has to take those small steps forward when things seem dark and beyond an end. He admitted that it always feels like one cannot find the “light at the end of the tunnel,” but urged to always keep moving, even if it was by one step at a time. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Uthappa spoke plainly about his struggles with depression and how this had been affecting his life.

I’ve faced many battles on the cricket field, but none as tough as the one I fought with depression. I’m breaking the silence around mental health because I know I’m not alone.

Prioritise your well-being, seek help, and find hope in the darkness.

I share my story on this… pic.twitter.com/XSACIZUfm4

— Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) August 20, 2024

“We are going to have a conversation about depression and suicide. We recently heard about Graham Thorpe and David Johnson from India. VB Chandra Sekhar sir who was the rock of CSK. I have been there too. It’s not a pretty journey. It’s debilitating. You feel like you are a burden to the people you love. It’s hard. You feel like you are worth less,” Uthappa shared.

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He even reflected on a heavyweight down with clinical depression and how much it made him feel like a burden to everyone else. The strongest thing Uthappa can do—to show his mental health struggle is real—is to encourage those needing help that getting it is okay, but that it must be done. He hopes, through his own bravery, to come forward in helping to inspire others who feel the same way—suffering in silence—to take that next, very vital step, even when the road seems unbearably heavy.