England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is planning to hire a supervisor to monitor the mental health of its cricketers. Ever since the resumption of cricket during the COVID-19, the players have spent a considerable time in the secured bio-bubble. Staying away from family in a bio bubble does take a toll on the mental health of the players.
The English players were among the first to resume amid the raging pandemic. Their cricket matches restarted in July when the England hosted the West Indies, Pakistan, and Australia. Some of the England players then featured in IPL 2020 held in UAE, following which they played white ball series in South Africa.
ECB managing director Ashley Giles hogged some light on Ashley earlier this month. Ashley, in the most lucid terms is the process of appointing a mental health and wellbeing person across the team. However, this process is slightly different from the psychology and the clinical element and aims to look at mental well-being as being part of our high-performance set-up, as a permanent position. Giles also deliberated on mental health screening that the players will undergo before touring overseas for cricketing commitments.
Over the years, players such as Virat Kohli and Eoin Morgan have emphasized the importance of mental health besides being physically fit. Undoubtedly, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been doing commendable efforts over time for bringing cricket to normality during the pandemic. However, the welfare of the players should be top priority including their mental well-being.