 The Indian cricket coach has said that Team India's exit from the ICC World T20
can be majorly attributed to the fatigue and exhaustion that had been brought
about by being continuously on the road.
Team India played a five ODI series against Sri Lanka early this
year before heading off to New Zealand to feature in three test matches,
five ODIs and two T20Is. This was followed by the Indian Premier League which
saw all the fifteen players of the Indian team playing for the franchises, and
there was only an eleven days break between the end of the IPL and the start
of the ICC World T20.
Kirstein said that while the tiredness was a factor, he did not want to use
that as an excuse. The problem, according to him, was that the intensity levels
in the team weren't at a level that he would have expected them to be, which
cost them dear in a tournament of this magnitude.
He also said that injuries to some of the Indian players, caused before they
had even landed here had played their part in the team's debacle as well. Zaheer Khan had hurt his shoulder while diving during the IPL and missed the initial
part of the warm-up games, while Virender Sehwag had to fly back home
due to a grade-I tear to his shoulder as well and did not play a single game.
Kirstein also said that due to the fatigue, not too many players attended the
optional net sessions, thus throwing the training before the event, out of shape.
He added that this was because, "(We were) trying to work out whether we
should increase the levels of training or ensure the guys have enough rest"
On the other hand, Krish Srikkanth, the chairman of Indian selectors
said that he backed M.S.Dhoni to continue doing a good job, but was surprised
by the way they handled the short bowling.
India had capitulated twice in the tournament - to England and West Indies - to fast, short bowling and could not recover from extremely slow
starts. " We were probably a few areas where we'll probably have to rework,
correct ourselves and then come back in the game. Like playing short-pitched
bowling, practising more on that. That will help."
He also said that the absence of Virender Sehwag and the lack of form of M.S.Dhoni
were two of the major factors that affected the side, but the team had the strength
to make a comeback.
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