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NEW DELHI (AFP): Cricket legend Kapil Dev accused Indian cricket players of prioritising the “cash-rich” Indian Premier League (IPL) over national duty, after the pre-tournament favourites were eliminated from T20 World Cup.
“When the players prefer to play IPL over playing for the country, what can we say? I believe that every player should feel proud playing for their country,” Kapil Dev told Indian Television channel ABP News.
Dev, who led India to a World Cup victory in 1983, further said, “I believe that your national team should come first and after that franchise or any other team.”
“I am not saying don’t play cricket for franchises but it is now BCCI’s responsibility to plan their cricket schedule better for the future,” he said, adding, “What we can learn from this defeat is to not repeat the mistakes that have been made.”
India on Sunday crashed out of the T20 World Cup after New Zealand beat Afghanistan to book the second semi-final berth from Group 2. Virat Kohli’s side thrashed Afghanistan and Scotland but it was too late after losing heavily to arch rival Pakistan and to New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the Times of India said that preparations for the next T20 World Cup, in Australia next year, should begin immediately.
That includes infusing “fresh blood” into the side, such as partnering likely new T20 captain Rohit Sharma with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the batting order and giving chances to Suryakumar Yadav, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar, the newspaper said.
The Hindustan Times reported that after their exit was sealed on Sunday, India called off a training session ahead of the final match against Namibia on Monday “as players brooded what might have been”.
“India’s inability to hold their weight in knockout rounds of ICC events has been sticking out like a sore thumb. This time they have also missed the bus to reach the last four,” the newspaper said, bemoaning that India “failed to adapt and tweak their tactics according to the conditions”.
