Ganguly saga continues..........

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
1

**Sourav backers fired hours after Pawar’s takeover **

Agence France-Presse
Kolkata, November 29, 2005

Deposed captain Sourav Ganguly suffered a blow on Tuesday when all three selectors who supported his return were sacked from the five-man panel.
Ganguly was included in the 15-man Indian squad for Friday’s first Test against Sri Lanka in Chennai on a 3-2 verdict by the selectors following a four-hour meeting last week.

His backers, Pranob Roy, Yashpal Sharma and Gopal Sharma were all removed from the panel on Tuesday after political heavyweight Sharad Pawar wrested control of the Indian cricket board from Jagmohan Dalmiya.

The trio was replaced by Ranjib Biswal, Sanjay Jagdale and Bhupinder Singh, none of whom have played Test cricket.

Former Test wicket-keeper Kiran More was retained as chief selector and VB Chandrasekhar also held on to his job. Both had opposed Ganguly’s return to the Test squad.

It is unclear whether Ganguly, who was replaced as captain by Rahul Dravid, will be picked in the playing eleven for the Chennai Test.

The left-hander has scored 5,066 runs in 84 Tests with 12 centuries, besides taking 25 wickets.

Ganguly was dropped from the one-day side due to poor form, an elbow injury and a damaging public spat with coach Greg Chappell, who termed him unfit to lead India in a leaked e-mail to the Indian board.

Dravid’s men thrashed Sri Lanka 6-1 and drew with South Africa 2-2 in two one-day home series this month.

2

Re: Ganguly saga continues…

Politics in sub-continent is never boring.

3

Re: Ganguly saga continues…

:rotfl:

But Prannoy Roy and Gopal Sharma also played little test cricket(almost none).

I agree this politics is amazing. It was expected though. We all knew that a large section in India was very unhappy with the way Jaggu was handling BCCI. So Sharad pawar is a welcome change. But then one idiot is replaced by other one. What BCCI needs is complete revamp. These politician and Businessmen shouldnot be running cricket. One crook goes, other shows up. Now, Rajsingh Dungarpur and Bindra will be main guys running cricket.They both have collective IQ of 90.

4

Re: Ganguly saga continues..........

I hope Bari will follow the example set by More. There is more quota/pressure in India than Pakistan. Selectors should be free to justify a player's selection purely on merit. No parchi no pressure/quota.

5

Re: Ganguly saga continues..........

i think the politics in indian cricket are way more organized and more personal that of PCB!!

6

Re: Ganguly saga continues..........

Jazba_pk, I am throughly impressed by the point you made. Yes, its very very organized ..
As well look at the money BCCI commands is a great attraction..

7

Re: Ganguly saga continues…

well that money is due to the market which exist in india for cricket!! the business industry also helps!

why u all think any newbie here is a multi????
8

Re: Ganguly saga continues…

This is getting interesting…

Ganguly may sit out first Test

**M Chhaya in Kolkata | **November 30, 2005 12:24 IST

Sourav Ganguly may sit out of the first Test against Sri Lanka beginning on December 2 if the team management decides to pick in-form Yuvraj Singh.

Coach Greg Chappell has been effusive about Yuvraj’s recent man-of-the-series winning performance in one-dayers against the South Africans, and it is likely he will pitch for the youngster.

If that happens, there wouldn’t be a place for all-rounder Ganguly, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources said.

They said Chappell has held a round of talks with chief selector Kiran More, and though it wasn’t known what transpired, it was likely that the coach had put in a word for Yuvraj.

“From the way he has been speaking about Yuvraj and given his relations with Ganguly, it is very likely that the coach would want the former in the team,” a senior BCCI official said.

Ganguly has been one of the consistent backers of Yuvraj, who is now singing paeans of Chappell, crediting him for his batting improvements.

In a head-to-head count, Yuvraj stands a better chance now not only because of his superb batting effort under pressure against the South Africans but also for his fielding abilities.

While Ganguly has scored heavily in the last couple of domestic matches he played, even his staunchest supporter would not vouch for his fielding abilities. His bowling, however, could be useful.

But the argument that Chappell and More have been forwarding in support of the youngsters is that they have to be given more chances to prove themselves in Test matches and also to build a younger team.

Also, the change in the power equation in the cricket board will cast its shadow on the selection process.

Tentatively, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir could open the batting followed by Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and V V S Laxman. For the sixth batsman it could either be Ganguly or Yuvraj, then Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble. This leaves the eleventh spot for a fourth pacer.

There is Ajit Agarkar and R P Singh who could claim that place, but there is a possibility that the team management could also decide to give the all-rounder’s role to Yuvraj and bring in Ganguly as a bowler. Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik is a dark horse for that slot if the wicket is a turner.

http://us.rediff.com/cricket/2005/nov/30gang.htm

*** I just wonder what will be dressing atmosphare like when Saurav is back in team.***

Congr8zzz K337 :)
9

Re: Ganguly saga continues..........

I think India is making a big mistake by letting Ganguly linger around after firing him from captaincy. If it was an Australian or English team, I would have been OK. But a desi captain has too big of an ego to let go. He will not be conducive for India as a non-captain playing member. Let Yuvraj take permanent place.

10

Re: Ganguly saga continues…

Dravid, Sehwag and Tendilia made it to ICCT Top 10 ODI ranking. India has climbed after SL and SA series to #4 beating three teams in a fraction of three decimal points at 109. Its funny how big of a deal it is for Indians.

Pak is at #3 beating India with 7 WHOLE numbers. :hehe:

http://www.htcricket.com/htcricket/14_1560505.htm

11

Re: Ganguly saga continues…

No big deal. Thrashing of No 2 ODI(SL & SA) team by No 7 ODI team(IND) and then thrashing of No 2 test team(ENG) by No 6 test team(PAK) proved only one thing…
*** AUSTRALIA is No 1 and rest are pretty much of same strength, who can beat other any given day.***