India pace bowler Harshit Rana recently opined on the mental challenges players face in Test cricket. Initially left out of India’s squad for the five-match Test series against England, he was later added for the first Test but was released ahead of the second match in Edgbaston as well. However, the five-match series eventually ended in a 2-2 draw as well.
Recently, Rana featured on Ranveer Allahbadia’s YouTube podcast, where he said, “The series are long, and the tours last for two to three months. Suppose you’re playing the first match and you don’t perform well. You get dropped and have to sit out for the next four matches. At that point, it can get mentally tough. Still, you have to put in the hard work and keep training on the ground. But mentally, the thought remains that the start wasn’t great and you wish things had gone differently. That feeling stays with you.”
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“Everyone is very supportive though. They say no worries, just keep working hard. In the end, what stays in everyone’s mind and on everyone’s lips is that you are playing for India. What more could you ask for? So, you shouldn’t feel sad. Just stay happy and keep giving your best. That’s how everyone lifts each other up, by saying that it’s okay if the current phase isn’t going well or if the days feel tough. Things will change. It doesn’t take long for time to turn around, and good days will come too,” he again shared.
However, Harshit Rana also shared that discussions around taking breaks for mental health are common among
players now.
“It happens, but you can’t really take a break from cricket. You can’t stay away from it. Mentally, you might feel low. Physically, you might be down too. But deep down, cricket is in your heart. You can’t separate yourself from it. You might overthink and feel like things aren’t going well, but in the end, you’ll still find yourself on the ground. That’s where you find happiness. That’s why we always say, just keep your focus on cricket,” Harshit Rana concluded.
