"Nobody realizes the enormity of the defeat than the players"

Dravid was professional and straightforward in the press meet. He admitted frankly that India did not deserve to proceed to the Super 8. He raised many important points, one of which is: players are having the worst time right now.

Nobody realizes the enormity of the defeat than the players. The players are the one who put in a lot of time. They worked really hard for this. It is an opportunity they get once in four years. It is something that you really look forward to in your career. So no-one understands the enormity of this more than the players. Definitely there is a lot of introspection and disappointment in the dressing room.

Players will be subjected to much nonsense in the next few days. Most of it will come from misplaced notions of entitlement and honor. We need to realize that players went out there and did what they could. While reasoned criticism is surely par for the course, there is time for that and certainly a limit. Indian players play under unreal pressures and frankly, more is demanded of them than they are capable of delivering. Burden of these unreasonable expectations was certainly one factor in this miserable world cup for India.

Many people denounce Indian cricketers by saying that they make lots of money. But this is really a stupid argument. We only see them making money now. What is not seen is how many risks they take to get there. A reader has put it best on India Uncut:

i find it insane that people should grudge cricketers their money. those guys worked hard to get where they are. they put aside their education and a ‘secure future’ for a 11 in a billion chance to make the india team. would YOU have made that choice?