St Lucia, May 12: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni refused to blame the IPL for the team’s Twenty20 World Cup debacle but conceded that after-match parties and hectic travelling during the glitzy league did take a toll on the players’ fitness.
“Most of the players were fit and fresh. Players also need to be smart, not only about cricket but about other things going around in the IPL. We have to respect your body and give some time for it to recover because there is more to it than playing matches. Attending parties and traveling takes a toll,” Dhoni said after India’s five-wicket loss against Sri Lanka yesterday that knocked them out of the event.
The defeat was also India’s third successive in the Super Eights stage, a disappointing low for the inaugural champions.
Dhoni said the six-week-long IPL was in itself not responsible for the debacle.
–Agencies