A Test series followed by a tri-nation event is what took India into the 1992 cricket World Cup and iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar feels that with a similar schedule this time around the “fatigue factor” will be key for Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side in Australia. India, who lost the four-match Test series 0-2 and failed to win a single ODI in the tri-series that followed, surprised the critics by winning their opening World Cup game against Pakistan and Sachin feels that a refreshed Indian side can go all the way.
“Yeah, the only difference now you are saying that I hope that the team comes back. We didn't come back inspite of good 15-20 days between the tri-series and the World Cup in 1992.We didn't come back. So at the end of the tournament, that mental and physical fatigue obviously plays a part,” Tendulkar, who was part of an unsuccessful campaign in his first World Cup in 1992, told Headlines Today.
“You can still go to the gyms and work out and you know if you are not carrying an injury then it's reasonably ok to maintain certain level of fitness. But mental fitness, that freshness, to be able to move away from game and recharge your batteries and come back firing on all cylinders is going to be critical,” he added. Sachin, praised Kohli for his match-winning tendencies, warned India of being over-dependent on the star batsman and singled out Ajinkya Rahane as underrated.
“You will always have key players, someone like Rahane is underrated, and opposition wouldn't be planning for Ajinkya as much as they would be thinking about how to bowl Rohit (Sharma), Virat and Dhoni at the end,” the Master Blaster said.