"It was something I felt I needed" - Nat Sciver-Brunt on her mental health break in 2022
Senior England women's team all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has revealed the experiences of taking a mental health break last year.
Nat Sciver-Brunt led England in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year in the July-August period with regular skipper Heather Knight ruled out of the tournament because of a lingering hip issue.
The Surrey all-rounder was also set to lead England against India in the six white-ball home series in September 2022. However, Nat Sciver-Brunt withdrew from the bilateral series citing emotional fatigue and the need to focus on her mental health and well being.
She was back in action in December during the tour of West Indies. Sciver-Brunt finished as the leading run-scorer in the three-match ODI series - 180 runs at an average of 60.
Explaining about the recovery process and things she got engaged during the break, Nat Sciver-Brunt told BBC:
"I did things that had been on the to-do list for a year. Just be happy at home, do normal things, mow the lawn, take the dog for a walk. I have got a bit more perspective from it and I am able to, not recover from things, but just deal with things that come my way."
She further said:
"It was something I felt I needed because of the six months to year before. Everything, not built up, but it did get on top of me a little bit. I spoke to a clinical psychologist a couple of times and tried to reflect on especially the Commonwealth Games and how that went and how that affected me, which was probably the main trigger for needing to go home."
"I have probably put that expectation on myself" - Nat Sciver-Brunt
Nat Sciver-Brunt has been the most consistent batter in England's white-ball formats over a decade. With 2175 runs in 104 T20I innings, Sciver-Brunt has scored more runs than any other England player in the shortest format since her debut in 2013.
She was England's leading run-getter in the 2022 Women's World Cup in New Zealand with 436 runs at 72.67, including a resilient unbeaten 148 in the final against Australia, which England lost by 71 runs.
Speaking about the pressure of expectations of being the match-winner, Nat Sciver-Brunt said:
"I have probably put that expectation on myself for a lot longer than you have been saying it. That has been the role I want to play."
She added:
"I want to be in the difficult moments and affect the game every time I am touching the ball or whatever it is. It is probably a little bit my own fault as well. It seemed to work most times but not all."
The 30-year-old is likely to feature in England's squad for the Women's Ashes against Australia scheduled to be held in England from June 22 to July 18.