'Refreshing yourself by not thinking cricket is harder in the bubble setting'

England opener Rory Burns recently admitted that staying in bio-secure bubbles took a toll on his mental health during the last English summer. He added that he struggled to switch off from cricket.

Rory Burns was the second-highest run-getter in the first series after the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. The Surrey lad scored 234 runs at an average of 46.80 in 3 Tests as England beat the West Indies 2-1 in July this year.

Burns’ performance, however, drastically dipped in the following 1-0 series win against Pakistan in August. The southpaw aggregated a meagre 20 runs across the 3-match Test series with a highest score of 10.

In an interview with London’s Evening Standard, Rory Burns revealed that he didn’t enjoy staying cooped up in hotel rooms, particularly when he wanted to divert his attention from the game.

“Bubble life is different. It’s not something I personally enjoyed that much. When I have played my best, it’s when cricket’s not been the be-all and end-all. I like to go for a coffee, see a mate or my missus; refreshing yourself by not thinking cricket – that’s a lot harder to do in the bubble setting. That was the main challenge for me,” Rory Burns explained.

The 30-year-old further added that he is considering skipping England’s rescheduled tour of Sri Lanka in January to be present for the birth of his first child.

“I am waiting to see what the dates are. I don’t know them yet, so it’s a judgement call closer to the time,” Rory Burns said.

Rory Burns and Tom Banton are the latest to complain of bubble fatigue

Tom Bantan managed to score just 12 runs in 3 T20Is against Australia in September this year

Rory Burns’ revelations come close on the heels on another English opener pulling out of a tournament. Brisbane Heat star Tom Banton withdrew his name from the 10th edition of the Big Bash League citing bio-bubble fatigue.

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“It’s been harder than I thought, spending so much time in the hubs and bubbles, and I came to the realisation that it wasn’t doing me much good,” Banton told the Brisbane-based franchise today.

Tom Banton was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ bio-secure bubble for a little more than two months during IPL 2020. The fact that he made the starting XI in just two of the 14 games must have made things worse for him.