Robin Smith opens up about mental health struggles and alcohol dependency
England cricket legend Robin Smith has spoken out on his personal battles with mental health and alcohol dependency after drinking a bottle of vodka a day, reports BritPanorama.
The 62-year-old batsman, who represented England in 62 Test matches before his international career concluded in 1996, shared insights from his distinguished career during an address to the England Lions squad in Perth. Speaking at Lilac Hill near his south Perth residence, following a request from Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff, Smith discussed batting techniques and the psychological pressures that affected him during his playing days.
Despite none of the Lions players being born when he last played Test cricket, they listened intently to his experiences. Smith, renowned for his powerful square cut, nearly lost his life to alcohol-related illness and has become an advocate for mental health awareness.
His struggles began after his premature exclusion from the England team, even though he maintained an average close to 45 in his final 13 Test appearances. He acknowledged that the rejection triggered a destructive pattern of alcohol consumption lasting more than a decade. He told the Daily Mail: “If I’m going to be really honest, yeah (it did deteriorate then). You know, just seeing guys – who I loved – coming through taking my place, John Crawley or Mark Ramprakash or Hicky (Graeme Hick), and these guys were averaging 28, 29, 30…”
Smith consumed an entire bottle of vodka each day for 12 years, ultimately resulting in severe liver cirrhosis that required hospitalisation for seven months. During his address, Smith shared advice from South African batting legend Barry Richards, who coached him as a youngster in Durban. He explained Richards’ formula: “A plus H equals C. Arrogance, to know that you are good enough to score off every ball, plus humility, to play every ball on its merit, equals confidence.”
Whilst expressing admiration for England’s aggressive Bazball approach, Smith suggested that greater caution might be beneficial in Test cricket. He highlighted Harry Brook’s near-dismissal during a recent Ashes Test, noting: “He went for a big slog over mid-on, and it missed off stump by four inches.” Smith emphasised the importance of respecting good bowling and remembering that defensive play remains valuable in Test cricket, advising players to forget about strike rates when conditions demand patience.
Medical professionals had given Smith merely a five per cent chance of survival when his brother Chris and son Harrison were summoned to the hospital. He revealed: “My brother Chris and son Harrison were called in by doctors and told I had a five per cent chance of walking out. So it’s amazing that I’m here talking to you.” He disclosed that he came close to taking his own life on two occasions, describing himself as being “within minutes” of ending everything. Now, he speaks publicly about mental health, encouraging others to seek help rather than suffering in silence.
Smith acknowledged that he should have reached out to friends during his darkest moments, emphasising that nobody should fear being a burden when seeking support. As the conversation around mental health continues to grow, the sporting world sees figures like Smith taking steps to illuminate such crucial topics, reminding us that every innings can reflect a battle that’s often fought away from the public eye.
