Mahendra Singh Dhoni has dismissed suggestions that a lengthy Indian Premier League may have contributed to his side's weak performance in the World Twenty20.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has dismissed suggestions that a lengthy Indian Premier League may have contributed to his side's weak performance in the World Twenty20.
Chasing 170 to win from their 20 overs on Sunday, India were restricted to 155 for nine, and collapsed to the pace of West Indies on Sunday on a helpful Kensington Oval pitch.
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"(People) can always come back and say we have played too much cricket in the IPL, but (we) have to do well in tournaments like these," said the Indian captain.
"The IPL is very different from international format. You have four foreigners. You don't have always the best bowling attack. You have to keep your side balanced.
"Most of the IPL sides have one bowler who bowls really good, really quick, but apart from that you try to target the weak links, that's what happens in IPL.
"But in international cricket, most of the sides have got at least three bowlers. You can maybe target one or at the most two (bowlers).
"I think the IPL is very different, so it would be unfair to compare IPL to international cricket. We are on the losing side and that's the fact right now."
Dhoni emphasised that his side's preparation was adequate, but he acknowledged it was difficult to prepare for short-pitched bowling, which West Indies exploited to set up a 14-run victory.
"We have prepared well," he said. "We knew they would use short-pitched deliveries, and we practised against short-pitched deliveries in the net sessions.
"But until you don't face it in a game until you are not match-aware of what is needed in that situation."
"That's the most important thing. You can do hundreds of things, but when it comes to adaptation, you have to be out in the middle and work it out, get a single, keep alternating the strike.
"If you keep backing off, and keep playing the pull shot, and people get out, it gets very difficult."
Dhoni admitted that it would be difficult for India to qualify for the semi-finals, since their progress depended on too many other factors.
"It's a little bit too much to ask," he said. "You need to do well in a tournament like this, and we still have one more game.
"We would like to do well (in St. Lucia) against a team that looks in good form, and leave the equation to itself, look to do well, whatever is the equation.
"We can't do much about it. What we can do is win that game, and that can be our consolation prize more than anything else."
India face Sri Lanka in their last Super Eight match on Tuesday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
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