30 Jun 2009, 1042 hrs IST

Indian cricketers should opt out of the Indian Premier League if a major international tournament is scheduled immediately after it, said the team's former physio John Gloster.

Gloster said players should avoid tournaments like the IPL to make sure that they are at the peak of their physical and mental fitness before a crucial international tournament like the World Cup.

"Skip IPL if possible. Some of the Australians skipped it," he said.

"The IPL has taught cricketers to adapt to different conditions and situations quickly but it is wiser to skip it if it is close to any important series because it involves too much of travelling which leads to stress," he added.

Defending champions India looked jaded in the World Twenty20 in England and failed even to make the semifinals. Gloster said close-knit families in India mean that the players are more likely to be homesick on trips abroad, something which causes mental fatigue.

"Perhaps no other country has as strong family bonds as the Indians. I have an Indian wife and so I know what are the emotional needs of Indians".

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