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Fatigue factor no excuse for India exit: Dhoni

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni refused to blame a packed playing schedule for the defending champions World Twenty20 exit at the hands of England.

Defeat by three runs at Lord’s on Sunday meant India, who won the inaugural 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa, no longer had any chance of reaching the semi-finals ahead of their final Super Eights match against South Africa at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

Leading Indian players such as wicket-keeper/batsman Dhoni have been on a virtual non-stop carousel of cricket for the past two years, their international commitments and the Indian Premier League leaving them with little time for a break.

But Dhoni said: “If a cricketer says he didn’t perform well because he was tired, it’s a bad excuse. The more cricket you play the better it is. We can’t say we didn’t do well because we are playing too much cricket, we just didn’t play well.”

As for the IPL, which this year was staged in South Africa because of security concerns, Dhoni said: “It is a demanding event but it is not an excuse. If you can see I looked tired, I should be the one responsible for it.”

India held England to 153 for seven but could only manage 150 for five as they struggled against short-pitched bowling from England’s pace attack at a packed Lord’s.

Big-hitting Yuvraj Singh, who famously smashed six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad at the 2007 tournament, only appeared at the fall of the fourth wicket despite the sluggish progress made by the top order.

“I am very disappointed,” said Dhoni. “We were not up to the mark. Hopefully, this will be a good learning lesson.

“It’s not the first time in Twenty20 that the bouncer was used. When you are out of the sub-continent bouncers will be bowled and they bowled them well.”

Asked about Yuvraj’s place in the batting order, Dhoni replied: “Maybe next time I will send in Yuvraj.

“If I knew Yuvraj would do it for the team, I would have promoted him. What we hoped is that Ravindra Jadeja would stabilise for a few overs. I didn’t want Yuvraj to bat under pressure as early as the third or fourth over.”

India’s build up to this tournament was overshadowed by reports of a bust-up between Dhoni and star opening batsman Virender Sehwag, who in the end didn’t play at the World Twenty20 because of a shoulder injury.

“We know what really happened,” said Dhoni as he again tried to defuse talk of a major row. “In the dressing room the atmosphere was great.

“Sehwag, when he starts off, the bowler is under pressure. We missed him but that was because of an injury.”

He added: “We are more upset than the fans but we understand their emotion.”

However, Dhoni stressed he did not feel as low now as when India made an early exit from the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

“Cricket never tests your character when you are doing well but as a player and a team when you are not doing well.

“We were never up to the mark but we will improve, most of the guys are youngsters and they will play for another eight years or so. This loss is disappointing but it doesn’t come close to the 2007 World Cup.”