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ENGLAND STAR IS BACK ON TRACK AFTER REVEALING MENTAL BATTLE THAT LEFT HIS CAREER IN LAST CHANCE SALOON
ENGLAND’S alpha batter Jason Roy has opened up on the mental turmoil that had him fearing his international career was all but at an end.
Roy’s stunning return to form in Friday’s defeat to South Africa in Bloemfontein was a huge weight lifted off his shoulders after a miserable year of failure left him in the last chance saloon.
And the 32-year-old admitted finally that the old Roy, full of bravado, was back as he struck his 11th ODI ton and made his inclusion in the World Cup squad at the end of the year much more likely than it had become.
Roy said: “It had been a horrible year. So this hundred means a lot, but it is only one innings, I’ve got to keep pushing in a huge year for us. I’ve had to mentally overcome a lot of doubts and thoughts that I had in my head towards the latter part of last year.
“So that’s probably the proudest I’ve been of myself.
“The way I’ve dealt with a lot of things and to come out and play the way I’ve played and be myself again was an incredible feeling.
“It’s definitely something for a way bigger conversation but the nuts and bolts of it are that I came back from the Pakistan Super League playing some of my best cricket.
“Then all of a sudden I hit some sort of… whatever it was.
“I pulled out of the Indian Premier League because I needed to work on a lot of things in my head. A couple of months in I started being happier as a person. I was a happier guy.
“But then cricket kept going badly, the Hundred was a disaster, I got dropped from the T20 World Cup squad and lost my central contract. It was like an avalanche of s*** things happening over and over again.
“You start doubting yourself as a player and a guy.”
Roy credits his wife Elle and work he has done with Surrey sports psychologist Andrea Furst for helping him through this rough patch, as well as England skipper Jos Buttler.
But it is also no coincidence that his performance in South Africa came the day after Kevin
Pietersen spent a day at training, talking with Roy and pumping his tyres up.
On commentary, Pietersen said: “He felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, but he played some mighty shots and showed everyone ‘I’m back.’”
Roy added: “It was beneficial having KP there for sure, not from a technical standpoint, but to have him as a sounding board.
“We spoke about being free, not worrying about the outcome, just playing my game. And talking that through gave me the confidence to do it.
“I’ve gone out there and just enjoyed myself, tried to impose myself and just be myself – chew on some gum, give it the full bravado, say a few things to the opposition, get in the fight a bit and it was a very proud moment.”
It was beneficial having KP at training for sure,
not from a technical standpoint, but to have him as a sounding board