Jason Roy recently made headlines when he decided to withdraw from the ongoing IPL 2024 season with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In a candid revelation, he shared that he made this choice to prioritize his mental and physical well-being.
“Missing this year’s IPL was a huge decision,” Roy expressed. “KKR put so much trust in me, and I felt like I owed them a huge amount. But ultimately, I had to put myself first, for my mindset and body.”
Roy had joined KKR in 2023 for INR 2.8 crore (US$341,000 approx.), impressing with his performance by scoring 285 runs at an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 151.59. However, he decided to opt out of the current season at the beginning of March due to personal reasons. He was subsequently replaced by Phil Salt.
It’s been a challenging period for Roy over the past 18 months. Despite his successes in the past, he faced disappointment when he missed out on selection for England’s T20 World Cup squad in 2022 and again last October for the 50-over title defense. He also faced setbacks in his domestic career, going undrafted for The Hundred following his release from Oval Invincibles. Last May, Roy had even terminated his ECB incremental contract to play in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC).
Reflecting on his decision, Roy shared insights into the factors that led to his withdrawal. “I’ve come off the back of not a huge amount of cricket, so the last couple of months have really taken it out of me,” he explained. “And so I was very honest to KKR, and we were able to come to an agreement on why I wasn’t coming. They completely understood, so I’m very grateful to them for that.”
This decision was also influenced by a challenging period two years ago when Roy found himself in a “dark place”, leading to him taking an indefinite break from the game and missing IPL 2022 with Gujarat Titans. Reflecting on this experience, Roy emphasized the importance of prioritizing mental health and well-being.
“A couple of years ago, I went through an extremely bad patch with my mindset,” he shared. “That was a huge learning curve for me, to be able to make decisions like I have this year. It’s your decision – I’ve got a young family, I’m a grown man, and I’ve made the decision off the back of a lot of thoughts.”
Roy’s decision underscores the importance of self-care and mental well-being in professional sports, highlighting the need for athletes to prioritize their health above all else.
