Unfair to blame IPL for injuries, says selector Raja Venkat

The list of India's injured cricketers is growing every day but national selector Raja Venkat insists the ongoing Indian Premier League could not be blamed for that.

"Injuries are part and parcel of the game. But it is unfair to blame the ongoing Indian Premier League," the East Zone selector said on the sidelines of a promotional event.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who leads Chennai Super Kings, is down with a badly bruised right elbow which has ruled him out of action for the next 10 days while opener and Delhi Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir has sustained a hamstring injury.

"Injuries can happen any time, why single out IPL? A professional cricketer knows where to draw a line," Venkat said.

After their triumph in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20, India did not have much success in the shortest format but Venkat chose to differ. 

"Twenty20 is highly unpredictable. There are no favourites here. On a given a day, any team can win. Nobody gave Indians the chance in absence of senior players like Sachin Tendulkar in the first edition of the World Championship. Similarly, Pakistan also surprised everybody last time," he argued.

He also had high praise for Bengal ace Sourav Ganguly and said the left-hander had a role in India's becoming the number one Test team.