England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has opened up how last year’s mental health break helped keep her to be in a good space, her preparation for the upcoming Ashes, her experience during the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL). Sciver-Brunt took a short hiatus last September, opting out of the home series against India after accepting she had become “emotionally fatigued,” and took help from the professionals. "I'm in a good place with my cricket and as a person. It was something I felt I needed because of the six months to year before. Everything, not built up, but it did get on top of me a little bit," she told BBC. After a two months break, he was back in England colours on tour in the West Indies, later in the T20 World Cup. In the inagural WPL, she was picked by Mumbai Indians for Rs 3.2 crores. The England all-rounder played massive role in Mumbai Indians winning the the WPL title. She scored 332 runs and took 10 wickets. The 30-year-old admitted that WPL has been a completely different experience and it took her a while to get used to it. It was a little different to England where the sponsors get a two-hour or three-hour appearance with some players. I did an advert for suncream in which I was understanding Hindi very well," she said. "Playing the actual cricket, it did feel like you were taking part in something really big and something different. I think because the way the crowds work. "Playing at home (in England]), in front of a crowd that really want you to do well and politely clap other things that happen in a game - whereas in India you have Mumbai chants versus whatever other team it is. Everyone is going with so much loudness and passion and everything. Brunt got the second-highest fee for an overseas player at the WPL. "I've just bought a new phone and a watch, not much," she says about her new earnings. "I am a bit tight really. I did get an Apple watch as well but that was from (Mumbai Indians owner) Mrs Ambani," she said. With Ashes starting from next month, England will be banking on their star all-rounder to deliver. "Since 2022 Ashes in my mind I have felt closer to Australia than I have before in terms of skill," she said. "It is just whether we can do it in the pressure moments. "In tournaments it goes the same. We do really well, there's a pressure game ending in defeat and from that you learn but you don't get to learn because the tournament has finished."
