Kapil Dev asks players to restrain themselves from playing cricket if they 'feel pressure'

Former India World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev is currently facing heat on social media for his controversial remarks about the current generation of players handling mental health issues. During a recent appearance at the ‘Chat with Champions’ event, Kapil remarked that he never understands world like 'pressure' and 'depression', while labelling them as ‘American words’. The former skipper also mentioned players feeling pressure in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and said they can always opt out of playing in the tournament.

"I hear a lot of times on TV that there's a lot of pressure on players to play in the IPL. Then I only say one thing, don't play. If a player has passion, there will be no pressure. I can't understand these American terms, like depression. I'm a farmer and we play because we enjoy the game, and there can't be any pressure while enjoying the game," Kapil said.

'Where is this pressure coming from?' asks Kapil Dev

The legendary cricketer then mentioned that even students of class 10 and class 12 feel ‘pressure’. “I remember going to a school where students of class 10 and 12 told him they face lot of pressure. I said, 'So also face pressure!'. You people sit in air-conditioned rooms with fees paid by your parents, teachers cannot beat you up, then where is this pressure coming from?,” Kapil questioned.

Meanwhile, the 63-year-old recalled instances from his childhood and recalled how he used to get beaten up by his teachers. The 1983 World Cup winning captain further added, "Ask me what pressure is all about. Teachers used to beat us up and then would ask where we had gone. Students need to convert this into pleasure and fun, pressure is a very wrong word."

Former India captain Virat Kohli recently spoke about importance of mental health

Mental wellness has become a much-talked-about point in the cricket world in recent years, as players have a tight schedule, mostly away from their families. One of the most notable examples of a player bringing up mental health issue was former India captain Virat Kohli. The former skipper rested for a month after India’s tour of England in 2022 before he made a sensational comeback with a great Asia Cup 2022 tournament. 

After re-joining the India squad, Kohli revealed that it was for the first time in 10-12 years that he didn’t touch his bat for a month and how badly he needed a break to clear his mind. It is pertinent to mention that Kohli scored 276 runs in five games at an average of 92.00. In the final Super 4 clash against Afghanistan Kohli score an unbeaten knock of 122 from 61 balls, which brought an end to his three-year-long wait for his 71st international century.