Sachin Tendulkar Recalls How He Faced Anxiety Issues For 10-12 Years In International Cricket

The legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar revealed how he used to tackle his anxiety issues in international cricket for almost a decade time and explained the importance of mental preparation. Sachin is one of the greatest batsmen to have played the game and he is the highest run-scorer in test cricket as well as ODI cricket.

Starting his international career at a very young age of 16, Sachin was one of the most talented cricketers who battled out India on most occasions against the all-time greatest fast bowlers. He is the only batsman in the history of cricket to score 100 centuries in international cricket so far and he holds most of the records in the game.

“I Couldn’t Sleep On The Eve Of The Match” – Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin explained that he wasn’t able to sleep on the eve of an international match and always got up in the middle of the night thinking about the match. He explained that he was constantly turning and rolling up in bed during the eve of the match due to his anxiety and restlessness which were abundant. He added that he later understood the awakening being a part of his preparation and he accepted it.

  “For 10-12 years of my career, I couldn’t sleep on the eve of the match. I used to be wide awake tossing and turning in bed, constantly thinking about the match the next day.” 

“That anxiety and restlessness were palpable. After over a decade, I realized that this is    perhaps how I prepare before a game and accepted that,” Sachin told when questioned about his anxiety.

Sachin Tendulkar On Learning About Himself

Sachin Tendulkar mentioned that he did not want to fight his anxiety and instead did things like watching television, reading which actually helped his mindset to be in the perfect frame. He added that he wanted not to panic on the next day as he did not sleep the previous night — and he felt that acceptance is a key factor to deal with issues like anxiety.

“I did not fight that feeling anymore. I would watch something on television, read or play a game. I did whatever I felt would help me play better the next day. It was not just about physical, but mental preparation, too. I made sure that mentally I was at ease and not panicking about how I will play the next day if I have not slept the previous night.”

“Over a period of time, I learnt more about myself. I learnt to deal with various issues and acceptability helped a great deal,” Sachin added.

Sachin Tendulkar was the first batsman in ODI cricket to score a double century and he scored nearly 34,000 runs in international cricket.