Will Ganguly come back to the heights he achieved before?

[furyfoxx]

Speaking about commentators, I had to bear with Doordarshan's nonsense analysis program throughout the series
Charu Sharma and Company don't know a thing about cricket.

 

[Big_Boss]

Ganguly will return: Mahendra

Ganguly will return: Mahendra

November 16, 2005 21:04 IST


Sourav Ganguly has found support in his hour of crisis, with Board of Control for Cricket in India president Ranbir Singh Mahendra saying the former skipper cannot be ruled out of India's scheme of things for the 2007 World Cup.

Mahendra said at the moment the selectors do not want to tamper with the winning combination but that does not mean the doors have been shut on the Bengal batsman.

"At present nobody wants to disturb the winning combination; otherwise, I don't think there's any problem for Sourav to return to the international team," Mahendra told a television channel.

Asked specifically if Ganguly has a chance to be a part of the team for the World Cup, he replied: "Who has ruled him out? Nobody has. This is the handy work of gossipmongers who believe in sensationalism."

"He is a great player, he has also been a great captain. We are proud of him and he will definitely make a comeback to the team.

"In my view, even the selectors have not taken any negative view on Sourav's likely comeback," the BCCI chief added.

Mahendra said Ganguly was dropped from the one-day side "due to the problem with his elbow".

"I don't think that anybody believes that Sourav does not deserve to be in the team. He was dropped due to pain in his hand...

"His performance in Zimbabwe and in Duleep Trophy has been good, I think he will definitely make a comeback."

Source: www.rediff.com/cricket

 

[SaiSrini]

If Sehwag and Gambhir perform poorly in the next two games against SA, the selectors and Chappell would be pressed to look into Saurav's experience

 

[Cricketman]

I don't think Gambhir is suited as a Super Sub...I'd like to keep an allrounder in that slot if we get into tricky situations. I say he should bat at 3. 5 doesn't seem to suite him either. Give him a shot at 6?? Might work.

 

[Big_Boss]

Ganguly's Ready For Some Action

Ganguly's ready for any position! He tells the media about his opinions about the team and how he has been doing in the domestic cricket.

\/ Read On \/

Ganguly ready for any role

November 17, 2005 19:43 IST


Deposed India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday praised his successor Rahul Dravid and declared that he is prepared to play in any position and perform any role if reinstated to the national squad.

"Rahul Dravid is doing a great job as captain," Ganguly told newspersons in Kolkata after a practice session.

Asked how he rates his chances of returning to the squad, he replied, "I am playing domestic cricket. I am laying stress on fitness. My past record is also there."

Is he eyeing the slot of an all-rounder to make a comeback to the squad?

"I have taken 14/15 wickets in the Duleep Trophy. I also scored a hundred. I am willing to play at any position. I am prepared to perform any role that the team wants me to," Ganguly said.

On whether his confidence was boosted by Board of Control for Cricket in India president Ranbir Singh Mahendra's comments that the doors of the Indian team have not been shut on him, Ganguly said, "I don't want to react to this. I only want to continue scoring runs. But yes, it does feel good to hear such encouraging words."

Cautious about courting controversy, Ganguly skipped queries on Virender Sehwag's form, and whether he would make any changes in the squad if he returns as captain.

"Performance of the team does not depend on the coach or captain or any individual player. All the players in the squad have to perform well for the team to come up with a good show," he said.

He, however, took head-on a query on criticism that he has problems with short deliveries, saying his record is there for all to see.

"Every batsman has his weak spot. But despite his weakness, if one has scored 14,000 to 15,000 runs in top class cricket, then I think nobody should complain," he said.

Ganguly said it is perfectly logical that performance should be the yardstick in deciding team compositions.

"Not only Sourav, Dravid or Sachin (Tendulkar); all the players have to perform well to be picked for the team."

Reddiff.com/cricket​

 

[SaiSrini]

Of course if Ganguly needs to play, he has to bat at any place that the team wants him. If he continues saying I want this, I want that, etc, no one is going to heed to him... Dravid is as tough as one gets! He might look a gentleman but he is tough at leadership! So its not going to be easy for Ganguly even if gets in. He has to get used to the new atmosphere of Indian cricket. He will find this team entirely different from the one which won so infamously in Zimbabwe in the test series

 

[aussie1st]

Of course if Ganguly needs to play, he has to bat at any place that the team wants him. If he continues saying I want this, I want that, etc, no one is going to heed to him... Dravid is as tough as one gets! He might look a gentleman but he is tough at leadership! So its not going to be easy for Ganguly even if gets in. He has to get used to the new atmosphere of Indian cricket. He will find this team entirely different from the one which won so infamously in Zimbabwe in the test series

Spot on there, Ganguly has to know that if he manages to somehow get back into the Indian side he is very lucky. He will no longer be the big fish in a small pond. Instead he will be the big fish in the big ocean.

The interesting thing to see will be how he gets along with the team now that he is no longer captain thus no longer able to boss his team mates around.

 

[jkartik]

right on the money mates ! by the tone of his comments , i can clearly see that he is desperate to make a return to the indian squad.

what do you guys reckon , should he play in the upcoming test vs SL ? as there is no chance of him being included in the ODI series against SA !

 

[aussie1st]

Only if India desperately need a batsmen. If not I don't see the point. Ganguly is getting old and he can't rewind the clock to get back his youth! India may as well breed a youngster while the likes of Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar are still around. You don't want to blood a youngster when they have left as they will missing the great opportunity to learn from some of India's great batsmen. Instead all they will learn is how to get out for a duck

 

[jkartik]

Only if India desperately need a batsmen. If not I don't see the point. Ganguly is getting old and he can't rewind the clock to get back his youth! India may as well breed a youngster while the likes of Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar are still around. You don't want to blood a youngster when they have left as they will missing the great opportunity to learn from some of India's great batsmen. Instead all they will learn is how to get out for a duck

i dont see any point including a youngster for tests unless & until he really performes well in the ODI's. heck, dhoni hasnt been included in the test squad yet ! i am not a ganguly fan in anyway, but i somehow feel he should be given another chance.
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'No problem with Greg,' says Ganguly

Cricinfo staff

November 18, 2005

Sourav Ganguly: 'Both Greg and I are mature and can handle situations' ? Getty Images

For the first time since the infamous public spat that rocked Indian cricket, Sourav Ganguly has said he wouldn't have "any problem" with Greg Chappell, the coach, if he returned to the Indian side. He added that the differences between the two were "blown out of proportion" and also said that he had no reservations in playing under Rahul Dravid.

"I've always respected Greg and it was I who went to Sydney in mid-2003 for a one-on-one with him," Ganguly said while speaking to The Telegraph, a Kolkata-based daily. The Indian board worked out a truce between the two, during the review meeting in Mumbai on September 27, after an e-mail sent by Chappell to the board president was leaked to the media, but the two haven't come face to face since then. "Why should I have any problem in forging a [fresh] relationship once the selectors bring me back? Both Greg and I are mature and can handle situations. The issue got blown out of proportion by those who wanted to sensationalise. I'd been silent all these days as I didn't wish to add to what had been splashed all over. I did so consciously."

Ganguly missed the first two one-dayers against Sri Lanka, owing to a tennis elbow conditions, and wasn't picked for the rest of the series even though he was available for selection. He was also not chosen for the first three games against South Africa and will now have to wait for the next selection meeting, in Chennai on November 22, for the last two matches.

Ganguly chose to break his silence on the whole issue a day after Ranbir Singh Mahendra, the board president, said that he "couldn't" be ruled out at any stage. Ganguly also said that he had no reservations playing under Dravid and added, "Why is this being asked? You must remember that Mohammed Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar, both former captains, played under me when I got the captaincy in March 2000."

 

[aussie1st]

ODI and test cricket are very different. Lots of players perform well in the ODI arena but not so well in the test. If the youngster is performing in the domestic comp then he should be brought in. Now is the best chance to blood in a youngster and its not like it will make the squad inexperienced.

What exactly is the advantages of putting Ganguly in?

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I think its nice to see that he will bat in any position. He is also willing to bowl more. We still have a few years left in him, might as well let him take the allrounder role till 2007, until we can find a good one.

Advantages: Experience, helps the youngsters, would have to perform.

And if he doesn't perform, he knows he will be dropped, so if he doesn't work out, thats that.

 

[Indiangod]

Spot on there, Ganguly has to know that if he manages to somehow get back into the Indian side he is very lucky. He will no longer be the big fish in a small pond. Instead he will be the big fish in the big ocean.

The interesting thing to see will be how he gets along with the team now that he is no longer captain thus no longer able to boss his team mates around.

your right on the money mate.

 

[SaiSrini]

ODI and test cricket are very different. Lots of players perform well in the ODI arena but not so well in the test. If the youngster is performing in the domestic comp then he should be brought in. Now is the best chance to blood in a youngster and its not like it will make the squad inexperienced.

What exactly is the advantages of putting Ganguly in?

Advantages: As ZexyZahid says, experience will play a big role... He still demands respect among his teammates. He can help the younger players again as Zexy says! We need some players of the Ganguly kind in the team who have good aggressive nature and who do not flinch on an attack!

His aggression can still work with the team even though Dravid is the captain! And he can be of any help to Dravid in captaining the team! A cocktail always works. Ganguly's aggression and Dravid' tough cum technical brilliance can work very well together!

 

[aussie1st]

If you guys were just saying experience I wouldn't really read much into that given India have Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Kumble all with tons of experience. But that aggression you guys talk about is one thing you can't make. A player either has it or doesn't.

As for his bowling don't expect to much from that. His medium pacers won't do much at all.