‘I literally slept for 2-3 hours….’ – AB de Villiers’ untold ‘WC 2015’ story reveals intense sleeping pill dependence
AB de Villiers
Former South African batter AB de Villiers recently disclosed that he experienced anxiety during his playing career, especially prior to crucial matches. The former Proteas skipper acknowledged using sleeping pills frequently to deal with stress, but the star batter has urged players to avoid doing the same, as this could eventually result in addiction. The 39-year-old further revealed that he’s faced problems falling asleep ahead of significant matches and has suffered from anxiety disorders since 2010.
It’s undeniable that in today’s era, players are frequently dealing with sleep issues and anxiety. On top of that, Australian star batter Steve Smith disclosed that he had trouble getting to sleep the night before big matches. In addition, the great football player Dele Alli confesses to consuming sleeping pills; however, he added that it became an issue for him.
“I can relate to this because I had similar issues before big games, really struggling to sleep,” said the South African. Sleeping tablets helped me fall asleep and it can become a problem after a while because the tablet only doesn’t make you sleep, it makes you feel really relaxed, takes a bit of anxiety away and you just feel in a very good space,” the legendary batter said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
One of the best knocks of my life: De Villiers
The former RCB batter also talked about his best knock against the West Indies during the 2015 World Cup. He revealed he just had 2–3 hours of sleep before the game. “I very clearly remember the game in the 2015 World Cup. It was the night before we played the West Indies. I actually ended up scoring a hundred which was very surprising – one of the best knocks of my life. But that night, I literally slept for 2-3 hours maximum,” he added further.
On top of that, the stylish right-handed batter addressing mental health and anxiety obstacles for cricket players is eventually extremely motivating, as it will inspire other players to be upfront if they’re experiencing comparable issues.
