KL Rahul shared his experience of bubble fatigue which has become a prevalent issue among the sportsperson across the globe. During a conversation on ‘Red Bull Cricket’ on Clubhouse, he said the last series against West Indies at home took a massive mental toll on him.
Sporting events and bio-bubbles have been going hand in hand ever since the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world. It has been two years since this new norm came into existence. Athletes need to spend an isolated life during a tournament in order to avoid the risk of getting infected.
KL Rahul Said Last West Indies Series At Home Took A Toll On Him
The Indian cricketing system is also following the same module for both domestic and international fixtures. Apart from bubble-to-bubble transfers, a new entrant to the eco-system has to undergo quarantine before joining the team. The players involved are forced to remain inside the bio-secure bubble till they are bound to play a particular tournament or series.
“I was quite okay initially, but I think the last series and the West Indies series at home really got to me. It became very difficult for me to keep myself motivated. The first few bubbles I did manage.
“Because I kept asking myself, ‘Where else can I be? What else can I do?’ Nothing. Cricket is the only thing I am good at and this is the thing I have chosen, so I owe it to myself,” Rahul said.
“I kept pushing myself that way. But the last couple of months were very difficult. Shreyas and me were chatting about how it’s getting more difficult especially when your families can’t come and be with you. You need your family, your friends to just feel normal.
“We stopped feeling normal. We had to sleep, wake-up, go to the ground. It just became a routine. It started getting very difficult,” he added.
KL Rahul Reckons One Got To Know Each Other Better In Bio Bubbles
KL Rahul, who is set to lead Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022, further stated that bubble life bought the players closer to each other. Before the IPL 2022 mega auction in February, the franchise owners had drafted KL Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi, and Marcus Stoinis. Their squad strength is currently 21.
“The good thing was the bubble, the quarantines got the players together, we got to know each other better. I have gotten to know the players I have been with for 4-5 years better on a personal level and formed a much deeper friendship. You are constantly improving because you are chatting with your fellow players about the game. That’s all we know to be honest. We only know about cricket,” said Rahul.
Meanwhile, opener KL Rahul has been prolific with the bat in the last four years. He has scored at least over 500 runs and ended amongst the top run-getters. The former Punjab Kings captain notably finished with the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition, hammering 670 runs in 14 games at 55.83.
KL Rahul has played 94 matches in IPL and has amassed 3273 runs at an average of 47.43. In IPL 2021, KL Rahul smashed 626 runs in 13 matches and was the third-highest run-getter, but unfortunately, failed to inspire the Punjab Kings side to a title. KL Rahul has scored 659, 593, 670, and 626 runs in the past four seasons, respectively.