Team India batter KL Rahul recently shared his dealing with anxiety as he reached 30 and he could see the end of his cricket playing career as well. The veteran cricketer turned 32 earlier this year and remains a vital cog in the Indian Test and ODI lineups as well. However, his time in T20Is has ended, considering India’s win in the recent T20 World Cup came without him.
Speaking about the short shelf life of an athlete, Rahul stated on Nikhil Kamath’s YouTube channel, “There is a fear and realisation that the shelf life is really small for an athlete, and you need to make the most of it within whatever time you have. For me, the anxiety was when I hit 30. I could see the end of the tunnel. Till I was 29, I could not see that.”
“Some weird thing happened on my 30th birthday. I could see I have 10 more years to play cricket, and that gave me anxiety, and that is the first time I felt like ‘This comes to an end at some point.’ All I have done all my life is ‘Cricket, Cricket, Cricket,’ without imagining this comes to an end. Now I can see it. It is not too far away,” he further added.
However, KL Rahul debuted for India in 2014 and he has played a massive role in the team’s domination across formats over the past decade.
He has scored almost 8000 international runs with 17 centuries and 54 half-centuries in 199 outings as well. KL Rahul also admitted that even with peak fitness, a player can extend his international career only until he turns 40.
“There is no insecurity, but there is a feeling that all this ends, and for me it ends very quickly. If you are fit enough, you can play till 40. That is the maximum someone has played. Yes, there is MS Dhoni, who is 43 and is still playing. You can play the IPL and all of that, but not at the international level for too long,” said KL Rahul.
However, it is worth mentioning that KL Rahul had recently shared an Instagram story, sharing a big announcement which was revealing the launch of the fragrance brand, the cricket star wrote on Instagram:
“I’m thrilled to unveil Metaman – a fragrance brand that’s a piece of my heart. This isn’t just a fragrance; it’s a testament to dreams and determination. Each note resonates with the passion I pour into cricket and life. To everyone who’s been part of my journey – this is for you. Join me in celebrating this new chapter. Together, let’s discover your scent of victory! I’ve chosen to enter spaces where I feel comfortable and where I can genuinely contribute, rather than just being the face or an ambassador…”
