Mental health is talked about in our group and every player responds differently: Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma said on a day when his illustrious predecessor Virat Kohli admitted to have felt "down" for a month. During a chat with 'Star Sports', Kohli spoke about how he had to "fake intensity" in order to conceal that he was feeling "mentally down". He said he did not touch a bat for a month for the first time in 10 years post the England tour.

Read AlsoAsia Cup 2022: I was faking intensity, says 'mentally down' Virat Kohli having not touched bat for a month

Kohli has been out without an international hundred for nearly three years but his poor run of form did affect him as he revealed that at times he was "faking intensity" in trying to show that he is an epitome of mental strength. "I am not shy to admit that I was feeling mentally down," the former

When Rohit was asked about the same on the eve of India's Asia Cup match against Pakistan, he showed empathy for everyone who has faced mental health issues. "We do talk about these things a lot. Of late, when Covid-19 struck, this has been difficult for a lot of players, not just Virat himself," Rohit told the media on Saturday. "A lot of players have gone through hard times mentally, staying in bubbles, not being able to go out of hotels and there is nothing wrong in it," the skipper added.

How India and Pakistan have fared at the Asia Cup

Cricketers being elite sportspersons get to travel across the globe but in a post Covid-19 world, the five-star hotels often felt like an elite jail, where one couldn't enjoy the sun and sand at times. It did create issues. "Because how you led your life until then was completely different because you had to stay in a bubble and inside hotel for two months, quarantine. Every player had a way of responding to that and there is