India need fully prepared team for World Cup: Manager

Panaji, Jan 10 (UNI) If the inclusion of unfit players in the team continued, India's performance in the forthcomming World Cup would be affected, says manager in South African tour Chetan Dessai.

Mr Dessai, who is also Goa Cricket Association (GCA) secretary said after returning here that India's 1-2 series defeat was because of fitness problems in the team.

He criticised the players for giving undue importantce to the physiotherapist and physical trainers.

Medium pacer Munaf Patel's fitness was not clear till the last match and bowling deparment was weakened, Mr Dessai said.

''The ace spinner Harbhajan Singh was dropped citing the reason that he had no sufficient match pratice. This was also one of the reasons of India's defeat,'' he added.

''India's fielding was very poor and it could not be campared with the fielding of South Africa,'' said Mr Dessai.

''Except Dinesh Karthik, M S Dhoni, Zaheer Khan and Sourav Ganguly, all other players in the team had nagging injuries, for this reason they could not contribute 100 percent to the team,'' he said.

''Irfan Pathan totally failed to perform in the bowling department and for that reason he was sent back to India and the decision was unanimous,'' he said.

''There is a lot of difference in Ganguly now, who had played postive game in the Test matches,'' he added.

He also expressed happines over coach Greg Chappell, syaing that the Aussie made all out efforts to mould the Indian team.

Mr Dessai also criticised captain Rahul Dravid for favouring Virender Sehwag to be included in the team though there was oppostion.

''India team was affected becuse of poor performance of Sehwag,'' he said.

UNI