India's captain Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag (right) react after India lost the World Cup cricket match against Sri Lanka. - Reuters PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
Captain Rahul Dravid has taken responsibility for his team's Cricket World Cup failure but says resigning the captaincy was not an issue.
India were eliminated from the tournament at the first round stage after losing to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and finishing Group B with just two points from their three matches.
Not shirking
"We definitely do take the responsibility. I am not sitting here and trying to shirk responsibility. I am the first one to stand up and say that we should have done better, and it starts with me," Dravid said.
"I am not trying to put the responsibility on anyone. People are asking me what's the way forward and what do we do. I haven't really thought about stuff like that.
"Until about 24 hours ago (Friday), I truly believed that we will still be in this tournament. I didn't have the time to think what's ahead of us. But I am not trying to say I don't take any responsibility. I take full responsibility for the fact that we haven't progressed to the next round."
On the issue of the captaincy, Dravid said he had been appointed until the end of the Cricket World Cup and said his fate was in the hands of the Indian cricket board.
"I was appointed captain till the World Cup. So I am not even the captain at this point of time. So it's not my decision to make," Dravid stressed.
Dravid, a key member of the team's much vaunted batting line-up, said the batsmen did not perform to potential during the group stage.
"Some of these guys have had success before as well. It's a question of maybe the guys going back and looking at their performances, how they performed in the important games and critical games," he noted. "Yes, we have not batted anywhere near our potential. We picked what was the best batting line-up in the conditions but I guess we were the best batting line-up in India, but we did not bat well enough in these two games. It is definitely something to think about."
Surprise exit
India became the second major team to be eliminated from the Cricket World Cup, following Pakistan's surprise exit after their three-wicket shock defeat to Ireland a fortnight ago.
"Both the teams did notplay good cricket. I think Pakistan stumbled against Ireland and we stumbled against Bangladesh," Dravid reasoned.
"In a tournament like it is, you have one bad day and you could be in big trouble and that's what happened to Pakistan and India. I am sure there is a lot of thinking to do in both the countries."
Skipper not worriedPORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad
(CMC):
India's captain Rahul Dravid does not believe his players will be in any danger when they return home to irate fans.
Since India's loss to Bangladesh two weeks ago and their subsequent first round exit from the 2007 Cricket World Cup as a result of their loss to Sri Lanka Friday, Indian fans have been responding angrily.
They have mounted angry public protests, burnt effigies of the Indian players and called for their axing.
Dravid told media here he was not worried.
"[I am] not really [worried]. I hope the players wouldn't be under any physical danger. To be honest, I don't expect that to be the case," he said. "I am sure people will be disappointed, and fair enough. They have invested a lot of hope in this team and we haven't delivered. So, they are entitled to be disappointed. But I just hope that no one in is in any physical danger."
