Team India skip practice on eve of SA match

Team India again give training a miss before their last game today

Team India skip practice on eve of SA match

Team India again give training a miss before their last game today

Winning and losing is part and parcel of sport. But what mainly matters to the real supporter's is whether their players and team are giving their best. Indian fans are disappointed to see the defending champions knocked out of the 2009 World Twenty20 but what has pained them more is that there is no real effort to make up for lost pride.

The day after suffering the ignominy of being knocked-out by hosts England, the Indian team surprisingly chose to skip practice. Although today's game against South Africa is only of academic interest now, they could have used the occasion to send out a warning to their in-form opponents that they are serious about winning their last game and restore some pride. It was an opportunity to make a statement of sincere intent by training hard.

Cancelled on phone
The Indian team was supposed to practice at Nottingham. The Lady Bay practice ground was ready for them but Mahendra Singh Dhoni & Co chose to skip training. They cancelled the ground booking over telephone from London.

Remember, the team had not practiced on the eve of the all-important game against England too. And on many occasions during this tournament, they have chosen to have optional practice. It is learnt that coach Gary Kirsten has told the players to take a call on whether they need to practice or not.

The coach had said overcoming fatigue will be the challenge for the players at the World T20 after participating in a grueling Indian Premier League season in April-May. His worst fears seem to have come true, though no player is saying it openly in the fear of getting reprimanded from the Indian cricket board.

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