Sarah Taylor, the England women’s wicketkeeper, has spoken publicly about the anxiety issues that have forced her to take an indefinite break from international cricket.
The 27-year-old, who has won 190 caps since her debut in 2006, says she has been suffering from the condition for the past four years and is now undergoing cognitive behavioural therapy in the hope of overcoming symptoms that included panic attacks while waiting to bat.
Taylor, who is widely considered one of the most talented players in the women’s game and has scored 5,581 international runs, remains likely to miss England’s series with Pakistan this month but still hopes to return to playing in future.
Speaking to the BBC, Taylor said: “It was starting to affect my performance and cricket and taking time out is a way of trying to fix me as a person and prolong my career.
“On the cricket field it happened when I was waiting to come out to bat, the expectation of wanting to score runs, that was the hardest. The nerves would hit me but it would be nerves plus something else, I was always confused as to what it was but now I know.
“It’s a genuine panic, the heart races, you feel faint and those are little things I go through. There have been times when I have had to run off into the changing rooms and be sick through sheer panic.”
Taylor last played for England in the World Twenty20 in India during March before her break from the game was announced and will now miss the first series under the new captain, Heather Knight, who was announced as the replacement for the retired Charlotte Edwards last week.
“I would like to say I am 99% sure I will play again,” Taylor added. “I want to put on an England shirt again, I want to train with the girls – I miss them terribly – but being realistic and knowing I will do everything in my power to become healthy, I can’t say that is going to happen. I don’t know where it will go. But in a positive way, I want to play cricket again and I hope to be back.”
