The news of Jonathan Trott withdrawing from the England squad has again raised the issue of stress in cricket, is stress an issue for Pakistani cricketers?

by Nasser Khan (28th November 2013)

The news of Jonathan Trott withdrawing from the England squad has again raised the issue of stress in cricket.

Following Trott's return to England, Andy Flower indicated he was aware of the batsman's condition before the tour and would no doubt have been monitoring the situation. Trott had the trust in his colleagues – trust not only that they would not have personal agendas, but that they would be involved in the national set-up for long enough to help. Aside from the in-house support players receive from the ECB, there are also various education and support schemes such as Mind Matters run by the Professional Cricketers Association for all county and international players.

It is a testament to the depth of support they receive, that the vast majority of players who have come out openly as suffering from depression are English. That said, it would be wrong to suggest only English players suffer from depression. Historically, sportsmen have turned to self-medication and other addictions, issues which mask their underlying issues and this no doubt continues to this day. However, greater awareness of the issues and seeking to deal with the cause rather than the effect is no doubt aiding the process for people to come forward and ask for help.

Contrast this support structure to the mayhem Pakistani cricketers endure on a daily basis. To do this requires empathy - to put aside your personal agendas and truly put yourself in the shoes of others is not easy, but it is the only way a fan can understand his team and should be the cornerstone for any form of player management.

Every player is an individual, with individual anxieties and thoughts. What do you think caused Umar Akmal to collapse in training a few months ago? It is of course speculation, as we do not have the medical records, but we do know the neurologist found nothing. Case closed? It shouldn’t have been – I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to ride on the rollercoaster that has been his career to date. The ill-fated tour of England when the message to survive out in the middle mangled his game to the extent that he was a shadow of his former self, being dropped, publicly criticised by the captain and coach, having to deal with the seniors who have decided to shunt him up and down the order, give him the gloves, take the gloves off him - all undermining what is, essentially, a youngster’s life. Who to turn to? Captain? Coach? PCB Chairman? The High Court removed the last one. It's not just the players, coaches require support, as the tragic events of 2007 in the West Indies showed.

Younis Khan being spotted fishing during his period of isolation by the PCB is a running joke with Pakistan fans, but can one ever understand the stress he must have been feeling after having his career snatched away from him for the best part of 17 months? A captain who had led his side to only the second major trophy in Pakistan’s history? Like Trott, he would have put in endless hours, sacrificed much to become an international cricketer and in the end he was cast aside with no certainty he would ever be allowed back.

Players with major injuries are also often left to fend for themselves - Saqlain Mushtaq once had a local masseur stand on his cruciate-knee injury to try and repair the damage. This is an area which has undoubtedly improved for international cricketers over the last decade, but we often hear stories of players of the past having to deal with their problems on their own. Even those provided with psychological support - Mohammad Amir was given some help - have the findings broadcast to the world’s media immediately after the session.

The full-spectrum uncertainty must be crippling. Most won’t enjoy this quote, but a few years ago I heard Shahid Afridi say “When we lose, whatever the cause, the first name to be taken off the team sheet is Shahid Afridi.” Which is why, no doubt, the players build their own castles in the team- they cannot rely on others and certainly cannot rely on the system.

What is the solution? In cases of stress or depression, the answer is not an easy one. Food for thought; what should be the response to Jonathan Trott’s condition? Tell him he is right to step away from cricket because it’s the best thing for his health? It may seem like the compassionate thing to say, but it’s probably the last thing he’ll want to hear and highlights that the resolution can be fraught with difficulties and that detailed understanding and management of potential issues should be the starting point for all teams.

  Discuss!