Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar said that he dealt with anxiety before a match and even after he had spent several years in the international cricket setup.
“Pressure, anxiety, and all were always there. In my case, I realized all my preparations were there in a physical sense. After all of that, the anxiety was always there,” Tendulkar said in interaction for Unacademy.
Tendulkar stated it important to realise how important to prepare yourself for matches and series mentally.
“Even when I was playing for India, there were sleepless nights. Over a period of time, I realised that besides preparing physically for a game, you have to prepare yourself mentally also. In my mind the match started long before I entered the ground. The anxiety levels were very high and I learned to accept to those things,” he said.
Tendulkar, who is all time highest run-getter in ODI and Test cricket said that he felt effects of anxiety for about 10 to 12 years in his career.
“Then I started accepting that it was part of my preparation. If I am not able to sleep, fine, no problem. I would do something to distract my mind and keep it in that space where it was comfortable,” said Tendulkar.