There has already been a lot of complaint about overdose of cricket the players have been subjected to. In fact, for the last six months, they had had no respite, having to take on Pakistan at home a day after arriving from a tour of New Zealand. Ever since, the Indian cricketers have been spending more time on the ground than anywhere else.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India delayed naming the squad for the World Cup until the last minute in an effort to look at the performance of all the probables that had been named earlier. But the very day the Indian team arrived here for the Coca-Cola Cup, six of the 14-member team fell victim to viral fever, forcing the tour management to seek reinforcements.

In fact, bothPrasad and Mongia who were also part of the sick list had to play the first game against Pakistan as the team struggled to field 11 fit players.

With Mongia, the only 'keeper named for the Sharjah tour as well as the World Cup, getting injured in an earlier game, Dravid had to don the 'keeper's gloves. One fears to think of what would happen to the team if a similar incident occurred during the World Cup.

Too much of cricket is definitely taking its toll on the players.