India captain Virat Kohli has said there could be more cricketers like Ben Stokes who would opt for a break from the sport.

“Like he (Stokes) has taken a break, there could be more players in the future, at some stage or the other, who could get fatigued by the bubble life. For us this break was very important and with regards to the preparation for this series, we realise how important the break was,” Kohli said on Tuesday.

The travel restrictions due to the pandemic allowed India’s Test squad to take a break and step out of the biosecure bubble. The Indian cricketers were given a three-week break after the World Test Championship final before they reassembled on July 15 to kickstart the preparation for the five-Test series, starting Wednesday.

“These breaks are very important, for me to refresh. In any case, captaincy and shouldering a team’s responsibility can be stressful. To add to that if you are confined in a bubble for a long time, things get even more difficult. These periodic breaks are very important. Because if your players don’t survive to play, then maintaining the quality of cricket will get difficult,” Kohli said.

“We' are going into the series fresh and with an exciting mindset. We are optimistic that now we can give our best efforts over five Tests. And we are not confined in one environment. These little things matter a lot and for us, for me as captain especially, this break came at an opportune time.”