Jonathan Trott, the latest victim of cricket's cruel test of mental strength

England's No. 3 batsman Jonathan Trott became the latest English player to succumb to stress-related 'illness' as he returned home after the first Ashes Test in Brisbane. He joins a list of players who have complained of similar issues in the past.

1. Talismanic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff (in pic) had revealed his fight against depression while leading the England side during the 2006-07 Ashes tour of Australia, which the hosts won 5-0. Flintoff, who was instrumental in England's historic Ashes win in 2005, had to deal with mental stress in the next edition of the tournament. He went on to claim that it could have been the reason for his recurring drinking problem.

2. Left-handed opener Marcus Trescothick's depression showed up multiple times during his playing days for England, forcing him to return home mid-way through a series on two occasions - first during tour of India and then the Ashes tour of Australia in 2006. He blamed his abrupt return from India on a virus and made a stellar comeback with a Test ton against Sri Lanka in 2006. However, the condition relapsed and he requested not to be considered for the ICC Champions Trophy squad. He made another brief comeback and featured in the tour matches during Ashes 2006-07 but gave in once again and returned home ahead of the first Test. While he continued to ply his trade for Somerset, Trescothick announced his international retirement in March 2008.

3. Steven Davies, who was the first cricketer to announce his homosexuality in the open, had to deal with depression after a tough season in 2012 coupled with the death of Tom Maynard, his Surrey teammate. As a result of the depression, his form took a beating and he lost his spot in the national and domestic line-up. Talking to Surrey TV, Davies spoke about taking a break at the end of the 2012 season to get some 'family time' in a bid to ward off the depression that he was hit by.

4. Another English pacer, Steve Harmison, had to fight clinical depression during his playing days. Following Trott's return to England during the ongoing Ashes series, Harmison wrote in his column for the Telegraph that he had disguised depression as homesickness for 10 years. He went on to describe the tough times, talking about having sleepless nights and having to wake up and walk out to play a game.

5. Former England fast bowler Matthew Hoggard, who finished with 248 wickets in 67 Tests, described his trials and tribulations with depression during England's tour of New Zealand in 2008 in his autobiography that was released in 2010. He also spoke about his wife suffering from depression around the same time. England's tour of New Zealand in 2008 was his last for his national side, but he continued to ply his trade in the domestic circuit.

6. Graham Thorpe (in pic) fought numerous pangs of depression during his international career. He was first impacted by the death of a dear friend during England's tour of Zimbabwe in 1997. A year later, the southpaw returned home from the tour of West Indies, much ahead of his teammates. In 1999, he went on to decline a chance to tour South Africa, stating that he wanted to spend quality time with his wife and kids. However, these efforts were not enough to save his marriage as he had to rush home mid-way from an Indian tour in 2001. Divorce inevitably took a beating on his form with the bat and he announced his retirement after the Lord's Test against India in 2002 only to go back on his decision and made himself available for the Australian tour later that year. However, after being picked, Thorpe changed his mind once again and opted out of the tour. The topsy-turvy emotional ride made a huge impact on his playing career. Yet, he has now managed to put all his past troubles behind him and is assisting Graham Gooch, England's batting coach.

7. One of England's heroes in their successful campaign in the World T20 2010, Michael Yardy, fought depression during the ICC World Cup 2011 which forced him to fly home during the course of the tournament. The all-rounder left for England ahead of his team's quarter-final clash against Sri Lanka. England's cricketing fraternity offered great support that helped Yardy get the better of his problems and take the field again for Sussex later that year.