Ganguly outburst should have come after the series: Gavaskar

Ganguly outburst should have come after the series: Gavaskar

PTI, October 09,2008

New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) The legendary Sunil Gavaskar today said Sourav Ganguly's outburst against the selectors was "understandable" but he should have waited till the end of the series against Australia to maintain the harmony in the dressing room.

"I think the outburst is understandable, I only wish that this outburst was only after the series had been concluded", Gavaskar said.

"By saying all these things, he has not helped himself and I dont think he has helped harmony in the dressing room. All that he had to say, he could have said after the series was over", Gavaskar told CNN-IBN.

In an interview to a Bengali daily, Ganguly lashed out at the previous selection committee for the way he had been treated and said he decided to retire to save himself the humiliation of being treated as the "sacrificial goat" all the time.

Ganguly said there was no point in carrying on playing cricket if he was treated in such a manner while some of the other players were spared.

"Ever since he made his debut in 1991-92, there has been a gun pointed at Ganguly's head. Everybody has always presumed that he has got into the Indian team because of reasons other than cricket and he has to prove them wrong over and over again", Gavaskar said.

"So one is sympathetic with the way he is feeling...With what happened to him in recent times, being omitted from Rest of India squad when everybody else was picked to play", he added. PTI

Missing Ganguly

Missing Ganguly

The Indian Express, October 14,2008

Who will replace Sourav Ganguly? For Indian cricket that question has mostly been about the key role he's played as part of perhaps the best middle order in Test history. As he retires - with, we regret to admit, drastically diminished dominance of the offside - in this, his last series, the Australians have reminded us that Ganguly had other, non-cricketing, attributes that need an entirely different sort of successor. And in this he has found an able heir: Zaheer Khan. By the evidence of his post-Bangalore Test spat with Ricky Ponting, the fast bowler will keep stirring the Australian pot long as ably as Dada did.

Ganguly's great skill in rattling the Australians was more than the stuff of cricket gossip. Ever since he kept the then Australia skipper, Steve Waugh, waiting for the toss in the 2000-2001 home series, a legend was born. The x-factor in Ganguly's leadership to a new team driven by self-belief and aggressive professionalism stood identified. He looked his opponents in the eye, he steeled his charges into dismissing their opponents' formidable reputations. He outdid Australia at their mind-games! Even now, watch how they look to Ganguly to account for their failure to seal the Bangalore Test. Having failed to take 20 Indian wickets, their media is holding Ganguly responsible for the draw, for taking a few minutes too many to return to the field after a short suspension in play for poor light - minutes, presumably, in which six Indian wickets could have been taken.

So, thank you, Australia, for this more than gentle reminder. Thank you, Ricky Ponting, for your absurd post-match comment that Australia were the only one "trying to take the game forward", as if forcing a draw has not been an indication of a team's Test skills. Thank you for recalling in this season of obsessive mourning about the Indian Fab Four's impending departure that an Australia series will never be dull, even if the action on the field is inconclusive.

dada's farewell

Highs of cricketer Sourav Ganguly:

Highs of cricketer Sourav Ganguly:

November-December, 1997: Top scorer and Man of the Series in the three-Test home series against Sri Lanka with 392 runs at an average of 98.

May, 1999: Scores 183 in Taunton against Sri Lanka in the World Cup, then highest ODI score by an Indian.

January 2006: Picked for the Test series in Pakistan.

December, 2006: Picked for Test series against South Africa, returns as leading run-getter.

January, 2007: Scores 98 in his ODI comeback in Nagpur against West Indies.

Highs of cricketer Sourav Ganguly:

Highs of cricketer Sourav Ganguly:

January, 1992: Makes ODI debut against Australia, scores just 3 before being dropped.

June, 1996: Scores century against England at Lord's on Test debut and follows it up with another century in the very next Test at Trent Bridge.

August, 1997: Scores his first ODI century in Colombo against Sri Lanka in his 32nd match.

September, 1997: Leading scorer and wicket-taker in the Sahara Cup as India thrash Pakistan 4-1. He scored 222 runs at 55.5 and 15 wickets at 10.66. Wins four Man-of-the-Match awards in five matches and Man of the Series.

Sourav Ganguly: God on the off-side

Nagpur: Sourav Ganguly, one of India's most charismatic cricketers, will be seen for the last time as an international player on Monday. Ganguly is retiring from international cricket after nearly 16 years.

Sachin Tendulkar says the entire country will miss the elegant left-hand batsman, who has often been described as the 'God of off-side'.

"Everyone will miss Sourav. He is not only my teammate but is a very special player and has contributed a lot to the team and country. He has had a fantastic career and when a player like him retires not only the team but the entire country will miss him," Tendulkar said.

Ironically, Ganguly's last Test innings, just like Sir Don Bradman, ended in a duck on Sunday. He was caught and bowled by Jason Krejza in the second innings of the Nagpur Test against Australia off the first ball that he faced.

A bit disappointing for Ganguly, but his fans will look back on his international career with great pride. He started with a century on debut and made a sublime 85 in the first innings of the Nagpur Test against Australia; although he had to end with a golden duck.

So was Ganguly pleased with how his career turned out?

A few days a go in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN's Sanjeeb Mukherjee, Ganguly had said he would have liked a few more Test runs under against his name.

Sanjeeb Mukherjea: Talking about Sourav Ganguly -- the batsman, do you think you neglected your batting?

Sourav Ganguly: No, I didn't. In terms of my One-Day performance, I think it's been outstanding. In terms of my Test cricket, I would have loved to have a few more runs but I also batted at No. 5 and No. 6 and although it is not an excuse but I thought that although I have more that 7,000 runs in test cricket, a few more would have been happy to go with.

Courtesy : Cricnext.com

Dada's Last Date in test Cricket

Thanks to Dhoni for Giving him a great farewell.