30 May : Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Friday admitted that cricketers were tired after a hectic IPL but said he had a balanced team which could defend the title in the World Twenty20 Championships, beginning on 5th June in England.Dhoni also said the just-concluded Indian Premier League extravaganza in South Africa was more beneficial for his side because it provided players with exposure and helped them to learn coping with the pressure of an international event.
"I am happy with the balance in our squad. Hopefully, we can defend out title," a jaded-looking Dhoni told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.
"When you play so many matches you do get tired, after all its a human body, but it (IPL) helped us a lot in terms of exposure and skills. So it was more beneficial for us," he said.
"It’s very important to cope with the pressure in international events specially in the Twenty20 where you do not get time to recover and IPL helped the players handle that well," he added.
Dhoni also said he did not feel the need of a pre-tournament camp after the IPL drill."It’s not important to have a camp (when you have already got enough practice in match conditions)," he said.
"It’s more about handling the pressure and how to cope with that and they have learnt it in IPL. Playing to our potential is very important," Dhoni said.The Indian skipper also admitted that paceman Zaheer Khan, recuperating from a shoulder injury, was still not fully fit but said he expected the bowler to be available for selection soon.
"I am hoping that he will available for the first match," he said.The 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman said injuries were part and parcel of the game and it was up to an individual to maintain their fitness for the highest level of cricket.
"Fatigue is a part of Indian cricket. Till now Indian players have done well with it. It’s about conscious level of players that what they need to do at this level to sustain," he said.
Asked which team would be the biggest challenge for Indians, Dhoni said everyone will have their chances.
"No team is a dark horse, everyone will have his chances. It’s just that if we have one bad day, we can be beaten by a weak team also. So every game will be important for us," he said.
Dhoni was urged Indian fans to accept whatever fate they meet in the tournament, saying "We get appreciated like anything when we do good and criticised when we go wrong. But you have to accept whatever is the result".