'I left home for IPL 2021 not in the headspace that I should've been' - Jhye Richardson opens up on mental health struggles

A growing number of cricketers have withdrawn from various series and tournaments of late, citing them wanting to prioritize their mental well-being ahead of any other task.

In the same vein, Australian speedster, Jhye Richardson, opened up on his experience with the same during a recent conversation. He admitted to having made a hasty decision to leave Australia for representing the Punjab Kings in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League. He eventually reached a breaking point with his mental health deteriorating and admitted to having had to seek professional help.

“A lot of it started during COVID. My trip to the IPL – I left home not in the headspace that I probably should have been. Things sort of hit the fan while I was away, and everything with COVID and not being able to get home and stuff like that, it just toppled on top of each other. I think you don’t realise what sort of space you’re in until it becomes too much, which is why now I encourage a lot of young cricketers to work on their mental health – even if they think that they’re going okay,” stated Richardson, as quoted by cricket.com.au.

“Everything just got to a point where there was some professional intervention that needed to happen. I’m not willing to go into a whole lot of detail, but I just landed in a spot where things were bad enough that I stepped back and said, ‘I can’t continue thinking the way that I am’ and (needed) to get a bit more education and knowledge about how the brain works,” mentioned Richardson.

The whippy pacer also credited Western Australia for treating his case in isolation and with special care, but also attributed the process of remedial process as quite tiresome due to him suffering from perennial angst.

“A lot of the judgment (regarding mental health) has gone nowadays. Within our (Western Australia) group,  we trust everyone with the way that they want to go about things. People are individuals – they train different ways, they think differently. The resources within cricket nowadays make the process of dealing with mental health issues a lot easier and there is a lot more education there. But, as someone who has dealt with anxiety, not just on the field but away from cricket and day-to-day living, it can be quite exhausting,” added Richardson.

Also Read: ‘I was so ashamed of who I became as a human being’ - Robin Uthappa recalls mental health struggle

I want to play Test cricket again. I want to play for Australia again

Richardson, who played his last international game in June 2022, with his last red-ball game for the Aussies dating back all the way back to December 2021, expressed immense keenness to have another bite at the cherry in the longest format of the game.

“I know what it’s like to play Test cricket and I desperately want to get back there. I’ve only had tastes of it in the last couple of years, but knowing that when I do get back there, I do have fun playing cricket, which is why we all begin to play in the first place. I know if I get a decent crack at it, hopefully I can showcase some skills that allow me to get to the next level. I want to play Test cricket again. I want to play for Australia again,” concluded Richardson.

Also Read: England legend Graham Thorpe ended life after prolonged mental health issue, wife reveals

Richardson has featured in a total of 36 internationals for Australia in which three of them have been Tests. A striking beginning came to a standstill with a dislocated shoulder during an ODI against Pakistan in the UAE in 2019 which ruled him out of 50-over World Cup and the Ashes, with quite a lot of injuries impeding his progress in subsequent years as well.