Team India arrives home; divided opinion on the reasons for defeat 

India's World Cup cricketers began returning home early Thursday amid tight security after their humiliating first round exit. Indian police tightened security at airports and around the players' homes to prevent any untoward incident. Earlier angry fans had taken to the streets when India was knocked out of the first round at the ongoing World Cup in the Caribbean. The Indian Cricket Board has summoned Chappell, Dravid, and former captains like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev for a meeting in Mumbai on April 6 and 7 to discuss the World Cup debacle. 

Meanwhile BCCI President Sharad Pawar defended Team India on Tuesday. He ruled out the allegations that excessive hype and endorsements were responsible for the sporting defeat. He said that the players were under tremendous pressure which proved fatal to the team." We think this is a game and in a game, victory and defeat happen all the time," he added. The Punjab Cricket Association chief IS Bindra has also come to the defence of the team. He blamed the media for its sensational coverage of Team India." It is unnerving. India was portrayed as world-beaters by the media. To justify the hype, they have now swung to the other extreme", he quipped.