When you don't have morale as a team, I don't think national pride will spur you to win the cup. Besides, with the number of games these players play a year, they are just like any other professionals. For a professional it does not matter what the project is is or how big it is they are just trained to ace it. In order for them to do their best the environment needs to be supportive and the auxiliary structures needs to be at their best. Now, tell me, with Sharad Pawar being the BCCI head, flip-flop More being the chairman, unfair zonal selection polices, innumerable matches designed to milk money out of them, insane public expectations, which of these factors are favorable for the players.
I am not saying players played their best, they are guilty of poor performance, but why are the backs of Greg and Dravid who decided to bat on a seaming track against Bangladesh not held under fire. Is Tendulkar and Ganguly responsible for this, are they also responsible for Kumble not playing against Lanka, are they also responsbile for Uthappa not making for Shreesanth??
Maybe you should wonder why West Indies in spite of having great players like Sharwan, Chanderpaul, Gayle, and decent to good bowlers and above all the GOD himself Lara has been losing consistently while the same West Indies team of the yore were such world beaters. The answer if you have been following the news is that they are very divided, the board is corrupt, it is not paying them well, it is not spending on infrastructure, it is not grooming faster bowlers with good pitches, their second-tier cricket is in shambles. Now, tell me is it Lara lacking nationalism reason for West Indies poor performance??
