CAPTAINSPEAK: Skipper Rahul Dravid feels that each game is crucial and the team should be ready for the World Cup. — FILE Photo: V. Ganesan

Bangalore: In a grim message ahead of the big engagements, including the World Cup, captain Rahul Dravid sought to blame his ``key players'' for the team's slump and said it was high time they delivered.

Dravid said India's lack of consistency in recent tournaments was largely due to the collective failure of the top players and the team could regain its winning momentum only if that aspect was corrected.

``I just think that we need to get performances from a lot of our key players. Last season when we were doing really well, lot of players in the team were performing consistently and were playing not only up to their potential, sometimes even above their potential,'' Dravid told PTI in an interview here.

"For the last 2-3 series we have not been able to get consistent performances from most of our key players. That's something you need to correct. There's quality in the team but we need to get back into putting in consistent personal performances which will help the team,'' he said.

Lean phase

The Indian team has been going through a lean phase, particularly in the shorter version of the game since the tour of the West Indies in April this year.

Dravid acknowledged that the return of ace spinner Anil Kumble in the one-day squad would definitely help the team during its gruelling tour of South Africa.

``Obviously Anil's experience and his knowledge will hopefully help us. We always had him in our plans. But we need to manage Anil in terms of the amount of cricket he plays.

``Leading into the World Cup, now we can give him enough games so that he goes into the big tournament ready and fit to play,'' he said.

Important series

``Both the Test and one-day series in South Africa are very important. We haven't done very well in South Africa in the past and we would like to put in good performances in both versions there. That would give us a lot of confidence leading into the World Cup.

``There's a tri-series as well (after the South African tour), so there are some games and a chance to hopefully get our key players back in form and in full fitness before the World Cup,'' Dravid said.

Dravid, however, cautioned his players not to worry about the World Cup too much at this stage.

``We have got to focus on each game, try and play at our best, take one game at a time and by the time World Cup comes we should be in good shape,'' he said. — PTI

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