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Dungarpur not disappointed with World Cup showing

''Azhar had an operation for rotator cuff tear just a week back and he is feeling a slight pain. It will depend how long it takes for him to recover, though I am in constant touch with him," he said, when asked wether Azhar would be fit for the tournament in Sri Lanka in August.

On suggestions to hold a special meeting to discuss India's performance in the World Cup, Dungarpur replied that he did not think there is any need for one.

''We played good cricket and were unlucky to lose. We were definitely among the top four teams in the World Cup, it was just that luck did not go along with us,'' the BCCI chief said.

"It is the misguided wisdom of some former cricketers and a section of the press that they have asked for such a meeting," he said, adding, that here could be some discussion in the working committee meeting.

Dungarpur also came out in support of the captain, saying one should not blame Azhar alone.

''Azhar has been the captain for the last nine years and his record as a captain is good. When he was winning no one said a word, but now everybody is finding him uncommunicative. Steve Waugh is like that, even Stephen Fleming does not communicate. It is not fair.''

On the renewal trainer Andrew Kokinos's contract, Dungarpur disclosed that Kokinos's contract was till the end of the World Cup.

"He himself had asked us to spare him due to some previous assignment, therefore we have ended our contract with him,'' he said.

About Bobby Simpson, Dungarpur said: "He had done a good job with the team. Now it is up to the members to deliberate and take a collective decision whether to continue with him or not. We will take a collective decision.''

Dungarpur said he was not really disappointed with India's performance in the World Cup.

"The boys tried real hard, played some good cricket, a few things went against us. We beat teams like Pakistan, England, on their home turf, and Sri Lanka, who were defending their title.

The loss to Zimbabwe and the death of Sachin's father proved most crucial for us,'' he said.

On the controversy of whether instructions were sent to the middle for the batsmen to finish off the match against Zimbabwe, Dungarpur said, "No such instructions were sent.''

Meanwhile, BCCI honorary secretary Jaywant Lele too ruled out the possibility of any extraordinary general body meeting being held to assess the performance of India in the World Cup.

"We do not think such a meeting is required and, as such, there are no plans for the same," he said.

Lele returned on Saturday after attending the International Cricket Council meeting, which was held immediately after the World Cup. He, however, did not elaborate on the deliberations of the meeting.

UNI