Former India pacer and ICC Match Referee Javagal Srinath on Monday blamed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's run-in with the media as reason behind the Twenty20 World Cup holders early exit from the tournament.
India lost to England by three runs on Sunday to crash out of the event in the Super Eight stage and Srinath believes Dhoni's reaction to the conmtroversy surrounding Virender Sehwag's shoulder injury affected the team.
"I think the row between Dhoni and the media was unnecessary and I hope Dhoni manages the fallout of the early exit better," Srinath said.
"This team has been fantastic in the last couple of years and they should have won this tournament for sure," he said.
"I really believe the build-up and the way they played their warm-up games and the first two matches of the tournament was perfect.
"Since winning the tournament in 2007, this team hasn't done anything wrong in the last couple of years to suggest they would not win this one as well," he was quoted as saying by the Press Association (PA).
Srinath also felt not being able to counter the short pitched delivery hurt India's progress.
"Considering their build-up here, I think they had everything going for them - the momentum and impetus was there. Perhaps the team got it all wrong with the batting strategy and the way they played the short ball," he added.
