India failed to qualify for the semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup.
According to Arun, a little break between the IPL and the global showpiece event would have helped India. While the second phase of IPL 2021 ended on October 15, the T20 World Cup got underway on October 17 and India began their campaign on October 24.
Notably, the Men in Blue were outclassed by Pakistan and New Zealand in their first two games of the Super 12 stage. Virat Kohli and company may have bounced back in the tournament by thrashing Afghanistan and Scotland, but their semi-final hopes weren’t in their own hands anymore.
“Being on the road for six months is a huge ask. Players haven’t gone home and I think they had a short break after the last IPL got suspended (in May),” Arun said on the eve of India’s final Super 12 game against Namibia.
“They have been in a bubble for six months and that takes a huge toll, so specific to your question, may be a short break between IPL and World Cup could have done a lot of good for these boys,” he added.
Arun was disappointed in a competition of this stature, toss played such a crucial role.
“Toss played a very, very vital role and I believe in these kind of matches, toss shouldn’t be of any consequence. Here toss gives unfair advantage and there is a huge change in batting in the first innings and batting in the second innings. That shouldn’t be the case in a short format like this,” he said.
When asked whether leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s absence hurt the team, Arun was not forthcoming.
“I wouldn’t like to dwell too much on that and that is for the selectors to decide. We can only play with the team given (to us),” he replied.
With New Zealand defeating Afghanistan in their Super 12 clash, India’s dream of qualifying to the semi-final has diminished. The last Super 12 match between India and Namibia will be a dead-rubber contest in Dubai on Monday (November 8).
(With PTI inputs)