Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday said he battled anxiety for a major part of his 24-year-old career before realizing that his pre-game quirks were an important part of his preparation.

 Talking about mental health, which has gained significance in the Covid times with players spending a lot of time in bio-bubbles, Tendulkar said acceptability is the key.

“Over a period of time I realised that besides preparing physically for a game, you have to prepare yourself mentally also. In my mind, the match started long before I entered the ground. The anxiety levels were very high,” Sachin Tendulkar said in an interaction organised by Unacademy.

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“I felt anxiety for 10-12 years, and had many sleepless nights before a game. Later on I started accepting that it was part of my preparation. Then I made peace with the times I was not able to sleep at night. I would start doing something to keep my mind comfortable.

“That “something” included shadow batting, watching TV and playing video games in the wee hours of the day. Even making his morning cup of tea helped prepare for the game. Making tea, ironing my clothes also helped me prepare for the game. I would pack my bag the day before the game, my brother taught me all of it and it became a habit. I followed the same drill even in the last match I played for India,” the former opener added.