New Delhi: Indian pacer Ashish Nehra on Saturday rejected suggestions that fatigue due to IPL was responsible for the team’s humiliating early exit from the Twenty20 World Cup, saying that the league has helped him resurrect his international career.
“IPL has done good for me because that’s how I made my international comeback last year. Even this year ... I think if you perform well then nobody criticises IPL. We didn’t do well in last year’s T20 World Cup and that’s why people criticise IPL,” Nehra told reporters.
The injury-prone Nehra was helped back from wilderness by a strong showing in the IPL.
But the league and the after-match parties that were introduced this year came in for some criticism from Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who felt the parties, at least, affected the players’ fitness.
“The IPL parties are more of sponsorship commitments rather than just after-match parties. So we are bound to attend them,” said Nehra
Meanwhile, Nehra also ridiculed criticism of the Indian players’ fitness level.
“I am saying that I am 100 per cent fit. If I reduce any more weight, you will have to bowl for me,” he said when asked whether players were unfit.
“I don’t think I am overweight, those who you think are, you should go and talk to them,” he added.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 15:47