Kolkata former Indian player Robin Uthappa had said that cricket has the highest suicide rate among all sports in the world. Uthappa himself was a part of several mental crises during his playing career and therefore considers competitive pressure within the team affecting several involved entities.
Mental Health Challenges Beyond Players
He also said that not only the players but even the umpires and the broadcasters, among others are involved in suicide cases. Speaking the same with Lallantop, Uthappa said (as per CricTracker).
“I think very few people know this fact that cricket as a sport, globally, has the highest rates of suicide. And it’s a very lesser-known fact. That’s across and not just players. Players, umpires, broadcasters, the most number of suicides happen within cricket,”
“If you look at cricket, cricket is as much an individual sport, as a team sport. You are competing with your opening partner as much as you are competing with the third opener outside of 11. So existing in that mindset consistently for 10-15 years means mentally it leaves you in a very dark place,”
Robin Uthappa’s Journey Through Mental Health Struggles (2009-2011)
“To be honest I was ashamed of myself in human being manner in 2011,” – Robin Uthappa
“In 2011, I was so ashamed of who I became as a human being. It’s absolutely ok to not know what you have to do next. Sometimes existing for that one day, is what you have to do next. Often you don’t need light at the end of the tunnel. You need the light only till the next step,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel ‘Robin Uthappa’ a few months ago.
“We are going to be talking about depression and suicide. We recently heard about Graham Thorpe and David Johnson from India. VB Chandra Sekhar sir who was the rock of CSK. I have been there as well. It’s not a pretty journey. It’s debilitating. You feel like you are burden to people you love . It’s challenging. You feel like you are worth less,”