Cricket News

‘I began going through clinical depression in 2009 and I was not even aware’ – Robin Uthappa drops a big revelation about dealing with depression

Robin Uthappa, recently, called it quits from all forms of cricket as he wanted to leave the game that he most loved and start a new chapter with his family. In his statement he thanked the Indian Cricket board, the Indian T20 League franchises that he was involved in, his state Karnataka and also his other teammates and family members.

After Robin Uthappa announced his retirement from all formats, he also gave a gut-wrenching story on the Espncricinfo stump mic podcast to Sidharth Monga on how he went through a long phase of depression and how he did not even come to know about it.

The former India batter said that he was dealing with suicidal thoughts, and he was not in a good frame of mind. This psychological mindset reflected on his performances in the field when he was playing in the second edition of the Indian T20 League in South Africa.

‘I began going through clinical depression in 2009 and I didn’t even know. During the 2009 IPL, I was suicidal,’ Uthappa told ESPNcricinfo.

Robin Uthappa was plying his trade at the start of the Indian T20 League for the Mumbai side, and he said that he wanted to be there and was totally committed to playing in the side for as long as possible. He said that it was an honour for him to play alongside the greats of Mumbai in 2008 and if given a chance, he would have remained there permanently.

But as luck would have it, the Mumbai side wanted Robin Uthappa to switch his allegiance to Bangalore and said that they wanted to trade him there and that if he does not sign the dotted line then he would not get a spot in the Mumbai XI.

I was forced to sign the transfer papers – Robin Uthappa

“I was going through something in my personal life and I was completely into depression during my first season with Bangalore. I didn’t play well even for one game that season. The only game in which I did well was when I was dropped and picked again. I played thinking that I needed to do something in this match. Someone from Mumbai had told me that if I didn’t sign the transfer papers, I’d not get to play in the XI for MI,” Uthappa added.