No change in Ganguly's retirement plan

India v Australia, 2nd Test, Mohali, 2nd day

No change in Ganguly's retirement plan

October 18, 2008

	It's goodbye for sure: Sourav Ganguly's first Test hundred at home against Australia won't result in a change of plan © Getty Images

A 16th Test century in Mohali won't change Sourav Ganguly's plans to retire after the India-Australia Tests, he said on Saturday. Ganguly's 102 helped India to a formidable 469 on the second day of the second Test, but the innings hasn't forced a rethink for the former India captain.

"I think it's the right decision and I have no regrets," Ganguly said. "I just don't want to play any more, to be honest. I've been playing well for the last two years.

Ganguly has had a consistent run since returning to the team in December 2006, but was dropped from the Rest of India squad - primarily consisting of Test regulars - after a poor series in Sri Lanka. Ganguly, however, found a place in the Test squad picked by a new set of selectors and surprised all by announcing his retirement before the first Test in Bangalore.

"Except for the Sri Lanka series, I've had an outstanding two years," he said. "But it's just that I feel the time has come to go."

He said he was pleased with his effort in Mohali - Ganguly walked in at 163 for 4 and shared century stands with Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. "I'm just happy to get runs," he said. "I still hopefully have five innings to go [before retirement]. I will try to do well and finish off well.

"I've tried to enjoy every single day because every day will be the last," he said. "I'm trying to do my best."

During his innings, Ganguly became the fourth Indian batsman to go past 7000 Test runs. Ganguly has 11,363 ODI runs at an average over 40 - similar to that in Tests - but he said it's the performance in the five-day format that would be remembered in spite of the emergence of Twenty20.

"You will be remembered in what you have done in test matches. First Test matches, then one-day cricket," he said. "When you talk about great players, you talk about a [Sunil] Gavaskar or [Steve] Waugh or Tendulkar or [Ricky] Ponting. It's because of their performances in Test matches. Not what they do in Twenty20."

India began the series with question marks over the future of their senior players, but Ganguly felt performance, and not age, should be considered. "It's going to be an individual decision for everyone. Age is no bar," he said. "It's the runs you get and people like [VVS] Laxman, Sachin and Rahul [Dravid] have been scoring runs. They should be judged on their performance."

Ganguly revels in adversity

India v Australia, 2nd Test, Mohali, 2nd day

Ganguly revels in adversity

October 18, 2008

	Sourav Ganguly's century was his 16th in Tests and his second against Australia © Getty Images

The serial offender has done it again. Sourav Ganguly's announcement that this series would be his last took most of the adverse attention off his middle-order friends and concentrated it upon him. He revealed it was the Irani Cup axe that prompted his decision to quit and then drew flak for uncharitable comments, which were attributed to him, about selectors and team-mates. Suddenly, barely days after his decision to "gracefully retire" was celebrated, he once again became the villain. How we love to do that to Ganguly.

The pressure facing Ganguly this time, however, was new. He has battled for his place in side on several occasions but this time his selection was beyond doubt. And that created pressure in itself because he wouldn't want to be picked only because he had announced his retirement. That too after he had been made to feel unwanted, in no unsubtle terms, by not being called for the pre-series camp in Bangalore. The camp was held before the selection for the Tests, and apart from Ganguly (and Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik, who were both sure to be dropped), all the members of the previous Test squad were present.

The retirement and its aftermath ensured that Ganguly would still be fighting personal battles during the series. Another charge he's had to face was that he was a distraction to the team. Not to worry, though, for the dramatic build-up only took the game to Ganguly's home turf. It's hard to explain why, but as Ian Botham said of his own technique, it sort of clicks. Ganguly's game sort of clicks when he has been written off, it sort of clicks when people want him to be seen as the enemy. His game has sort of clicked so far in this series, for one last time.

Not many have scored a century in a series which they have chosen to be their last, a feat which Greg Chappell, an admirer of Ganguly's mental toughness, has performed. And when he completed his hundred, his celebrations portrayed a man at peace with himself. In his mind, perhaps, he didn't need to respond to chin-music claims, a coach, or even a former chairman of selectors. It has been a distinct characteristic of the Ganguly who made a comeback to the side in South Africa. Some have even called it his "paternal avatar".

So when Ganguly flicked Cameron White towards the midwicket boundary in the third over after lunch, and realised the ball wouldn't be cut off by the fielders, he ran towards the end opposite the pavilion, pumped his fists and raised both his arms, while smiling to himself. The helmet stayed where it was, and he didn't point at anybody. By the time Mahendra Singh Dhoni went up to hug him, Ganguly had already had a private moment or two. Here was a man who had fought the world, and more, but during one of his final moments of glory, he didn't have a message for his detractors, as if they didn't matter.

The century itself was a subdued effort on a flat pitch: more determined than flamboyant, more workman like than princely. He said later that the Australians had blocked the boundaries by employing defensive fields almost throughout. This innings required more patience than usual and Ganguly had it in abundance. Yesterday he took 18 balls to get off the mark but raced away while everybody was focused on Sachin Tendulkar's record. By the time Tendulkar took charge, Ganguly had reached his thirties and took the back seat again.

Today he had to start anew, almost like an opener, against refreshed bowlers and a ball which was five-overs old. He also had to make sure India didn't collapse before reaching a formidable total. He had the perfect partner in Dhoni, who took the attack to Australia, and the spotlight away from Ganguly. Quietly he moved towards his second hundred against Australia and his first at home. Perhaps it had taken a lot of out him for the error that resulted in his dismissal came immediately after he had reached the century. Ganguly's innings had begun with India on 163 for 4 but his partnerships with Tendulkar and Dhoni had helped achieve a total of 469.

On October 7, he had said "just one last thing lads", and dropped a bomb. On October 18, he said that one last thing. Or maybe not for there are five possible innings to go. We are still listening, Dadi.

Ganguly and Tendulkar give India the edge

India 311 for 5 (Tendulkar 88, Gambhir 67, Ganguly 54*) v Australia
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly added 142 for the fifth wicket © AFP

India's batsmen sandwiched a middle-order wobble in the afternoon with excellent batting during the first and third sessions to inch ahead of Australia on the first day in Mohali. A brief passage of play, during which India lost three wickets for 17 runs, threatened to undo the 104-run platform built in the morning but Sachin Tendulkar, who became Test cricket's highest run-scorer, and Sourav Ganguly ensured that the initiative wasn't lost by batting the majority of the final session.

Unlike the pitch in Bangalore, which had variable bounce from the start, the surface at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium was true. There was hardly any swing or movement off the pitch; the ball came on to the bat, and sped off it, allowing the batsmen to drive on the up or hit through the line. Australia's bowlers, who failed to bowl disciplined lines during the first session, were.more accurate - and successful - after lunch. At tea, given the outstanding batting conditions, Australia held the edge having reduced India to 174 for 4. Another wicket would have made it their day but they were blunted by Tendulkar and Ganguly, who scored at nearly four an over without any risks.

Tendulkar broke Brian Lara's record off the first ball after tea, steering Peter Siddle to third man, but, once the seemingly endless fireworks subsided, India needed a much more substantial contribution from him. It was Ganguly, however, who set the pace initially. He had taken 17 balls to get off the mark before tea but after the interval he hit the ball through gaps in the offside with precision, driving Shane Watson and Peter Siddle for three boundaries between point and cover. He milked that region for 41 of his runs and, apart from a stumping against Cameron White - Rudi Koertzen did not refer it to the third umpire - and a couple of uncertain wafts against the second new ball, his innings was calm.

Towards the end of the day, Tendulkar was batting so confidently that he despatched the first delivery with the second new ball, bowled by Siddle, through cover with a back foot drive. He tried to repeat the shot the next ball but inside edged the ball past his stumps. His third attempt to push the new ball through the offside 15 minutes before stumps landed in Matthew Hayden's hands at first slip and gave Siddle his maiden Test wicket. It ended a 142-run stand and helped even the balance between the teams.

Before that error in judgement, however, Tendulkar had scored runs all round the ground and wasn't tied down by any bowler. He was severe on Siddle, against whom he scored 29 off 20 balls, driving him twice past mid-on for four and steering him to the third-man boundary. He also scored at a strike-rate of above 75 against Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, who was once again Australia's best bowler. When Ponting brought on Cameron White, Tendulkar attempted to unsettle the legspinner by charging down the pitch and lofting down the ground. He brought up his fifty - his 50th in Test cricket - and also became the first batsmen to score 12,000 Tests.

Those records were preceded by a spell in which Australia regained ground lost during the morning session; though their bowlers rectified mistakes made earlier in the day, the wickets were largely due to lapses by the batsmen.

Johnson was largely responsible for the fightback. He ended Virender Sehwag's charge in the morning, caught down the leg side, and dismissed Laxman in a similar manner after lunch. In between those wickets he contained Dravid by bowling full and wide with seven fielders on the off side, and induced an edge from Gambhir as he tried to drive another full delivery through cover. Australia picked up 3 for 17 and recovered from the rapid start made by Gambhir and Sehwag.

Gambhir was struck on the helmet by Siddle's first ball in international cricket but recovered to drive the ball through cover, a stroke that would become a feature of his innings. Sehwag ensured the run-rate stayed around six an over by piercing the infield frequently. He punished Siddle when the line was too straight, nudging him down to fine leg, and flicking to the square-leg boundary twice in succession.

The batsmen hit 10 boundaries in the first hour and raced to 63 in 13 overs. Having tried all his fast bowlers, Ricky Ponting gave the final over of the session to the left-arm spinner Michael Clarke. Gambhir took the opportunity to reach his half-century before lunch by stepping out to loft Clarke twice in a row over mid-on.

The Australians came out after the break with different lines of attack. Watson and Siddle restricted Gambhir's scoring by aiming short balls at his ribs. Johnson slanted deliveries full and wide outside off stump and asked the batsmen to drive with seven fielders on the off side. Dravid chased one and was beaten, after which he let several go. He eventually played on while trying to force Lee through the off side.

India had two new batsmen at the crease a short while before tea and had to begin from scratch. Tendulkar and Ganguly protected the innings from further damage

Ganguly rubs Australians the wrong way again

Melbourne: Intentionally or inadvertently, Sourav Ganguly continues to rub Australians the wrong way and the media here poured vitriol on the former India skipper, accusing him of indulging in delaying tactics to ensure the Bangalore Test ended in a draw.

The popular belief here is that Australia were destined to win the Bangalore Test but the existing light rule, coupled with Ganguly's delaying tactics, denied Ricky Ponting's men victory in the first of the four-match Test series.

A member of the National Nine News sports team took a potshot at anyone and everyone but was particularly harsh on Ganguly, whom he described as a "serial offender".

"Serial offender Sourav Ganguly firstly persuaded the umpires to go off. Then when play resumed, Ganguly made Australia's fielders and partner VVS Laxman wait an eternity because he'd apparently 'forgotten to put his thigh pad on'.

"Please! Can't you be timed out in this game?" he wrote.

According to him, the spectators were the obvious losers in the entire exercise.

"The players got something out of it. Pedantic officials got their moment of glory. But billions of fans and more importantly — the game itself — got nothing out of this farcical finish in Bangalore," he remarked.

Criticising umpire Asad Rauf and Rudy Koertzen, the writer said, "With the match in the balance, a crucial hour's play on the final day was lost, with not one, but two stoppages for bad light — when at times the sun was shining!

"Umpires strutted about like Emperor Penguins, holding out their light metres — a device that like performance enhancing drugs should be banned."

Ganguly to retire after Australia Tests

Sourav Ganguly has said he will retire after the upcoming Test series against Australia. His statement, a moment of unscripted drama at the end of a routine press conference in Bangalore, ends widespread speculation over his future.

"Just one last thing lads, before I leave, I just want to say that this is going to be my last series," Ganguly said after taking the last question of his press conference. "I've decided to quit. I told my team-mates before coming here. These four Test matches are going to be my last and hopefully we'll go on a winning note."

With that, he got up and walked out, offering no explanation for what led to the decision. Shortly after that Kris Srikkanth, the head of India's new selection panel, threw some light on it. "I think he's probably taken the right decision," Srikkanth said. "He had a good chat with me and my co-selector Narendra Hirwani. He wants a peaceful series without any troubles on his mind. As a player I can tell you that when you have an axe over your head it doesn't feel right."

India's selectors, headed by Srikkanth, picked Ganguly in a 15-man squad for the first two Tests against Australia despite his being overlooked for the Irani Cup match between the Rest of India and Delhi. Lacking top-quality match practice since the end of the Sri Lanka Tests, he was rushed to Chennai for an India 'A' match against New Zealand.

"To be honest I didn't expect to be picked for this series," Ganguly said. "But once I was chosen, I started preparing. Even when I was left out of the Rest of India squad, which was a bit of a surprise for me, I was still training with the Bengal boys."

Ganguly also dismissed speculation over a "voluntary retirement scheme" for the senior members of India's squad. "I don't think it's ever possible that anybody can offer you a VRS. You cannot do that to players like [Anil] Kumble, [Rahul] Dravid, [VVS] Laxman, me, Sachin [Tendulkar] or anyone.

"What is important is what you get to know from the board [BCCI] and as far as I, and some of the senior players, are concerned, we have not received any intimation from the board on anything."

Ganguly, 36, has scored 6888 runs in 109 Tests, with 15 hundreds. He played 49 Tests as captain, the most by an Indian. The 21 matches won during his tenure is also an Indian record, and his win percentage of over 40 is the highest for players who have captained India in more than one Test. Starting with a hundred on debut, Ganguly's Test average has never dipped below 40.

In 311 ODIs, he scored 11,363 runs at 41.02. He captained India in 147 ODIs. His last ODI was against Pakistan in Gwalior on November 15, 2007. He is one of only three players to complete the treble of 10,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches in ODIs, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar being the others. Along with Tendulkar, he formed a prolific partnership at the top of the order, with 6609 runs at an average of nearly 50 per stand in 136 innings.

Since his recall in December 2006 and till the end of the home series against South Africa earlier this year, Ganguly scored 1571 runs at 50.67, including a maiden double-century. However, he managed only 96 runs in six innings during India's 2-1 series defeat in Sri Lanka this summer.

Ganguly to retire after Australia series

India’s most successful Test captain, Sourav Ganguly, has decided to retire from cricket at the end of the four-Test series against Australia. The ‘Prince of Kolkata’ made the announcement at a press conference held in Bangalore.

“I have decided to quit and told my teammates about it. Australia series will be my last series,” said Ganguly. The dashing southpaw was only the seventh batsman in the history of ODI cricket to score 10,000 runs in the fifty-over format.

In 311 ODIs, he scored a phenomenal 11,363 runs with 22 tons and 72 half-centuries. He clearly ruled the shorter format and topped the batting charts for most runs in a calendar year thrice in his career (1997, 1999, 2000). ‘Dada’, as he is fondly called, also holds the record for bagging four consecutive ‘Man of the Match’ awards in ODIs. He is one of only three players to complete the treble of 10,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches in ODIs.

An integral member of the ‘Fab Four’, he captained India for a record 41 Tests and guided his team to 21 Test wins, the most by an India captain. He also led India to its first series wins in both Tests and ODIs in Pakistan, a feat that had eluded India for over 50 years. Ganguly is also the seventh Indian cricketer to have played 100 Test matches and is currently the fifth highest overall run-scorer for India in Tests with 6888 runs.

Known for strong fight-backs, he made a stunning comeback after being recalled for the South Africa series. He was also the second highest run-scorer for India in 2007 but was left out of the ODI set-up. Speculations about him being axed from the Test side grew after being dropped for the Irani game that followed a mediocre performance in Sri Lanka. A new set of selectors under Kris Srikkanth’s chairmanship named him in the 15-member squad that will take on Australia for the first two Tests.

It is imperative to note that Australia’s most successful captain, Steve Waugh, too decided to quit cricket at the end of the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Test series.

Ganguly trashes talk of 'retirement deal'

Kolkata: Former captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that his inclusion in India's 15-member squad for the first two Test matches against Australia was part of a compromise formula to give him the opportunity to retire gracefully.

Asked specifically if the selectors had made a compromise with his selection in the team, Ganguly quipped "absolutely not".

Ganguly's floundering Test career received a big boost with the newly-appointed selection panel headed by Krishnamachari Srikkanth naming him in the squad for the first two Tests against Australia beginning on October 9.

The former captain reckoned the series against the Australians will be "tough" and said he was prepared for the challenge.

"It will be a tough series. We will have to fight it hard", he told reporters at the Eden Gardens here.

Ganguly's career was at crossroads after he was ignored by the previous selection panel, with Dilip Vengsarkar at the helm, for the season-opening Irani Cup tie, touted as a virtual selection trial, at Vadodara late last month.

However, a change of guard with the complete overhaul of the selection panel saw the return of Ganguly and he seems certain to play the series opener at Bangalore barring injury.

The former Indian captain also met Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Jagmohan Dalmiya during the day. It was his first meeting with Dalmiya since he was re-elected to the post.

Selectors keep Test door open for Dada

Mumbai: The newly-elected selection committee, chaired by former Krishnamachari Srikkanth, gave a new lease of life to former India captain Sourav Ganguly by including him in the 15-member squad for the first two Tests against the visiting Australians starting at Bangalore on October 9.

The selectors also opted for an untested leg spinner in Amit Mishra and Tamil Nadu batsman Subramaniam Badrinath for the Bangalore and Mohali Tests.

When the past selection panel’s chief Dilip Vengsarkar denied a berth to Ganguly in the Rest of India team in the just concluded Irani Cup tie, one expected that the stylish left-hander's career had come to an end.

However the present lot, who were chosen during the BCCI AGM on September 27, gave the southpaw a shot in the arm by including him for the first two Tests of the home series.

It is reliably learnt that Indian skipper Anil Kumble, who had successfully fought for Virender Sehwag's inclusion in the Test team last year, was instrumental in bringing back the 36-year-old Ganguly into the fold by arguing that to beat the No. 1 Test team in the world, India needed the experience of all the senior players and the present series was very important to experiment with young and inexperienced batsmen.

Both Kumble and Indian coach Gary Kirsten were flown in for the selection meeting from Bangalore, where they were attending a conditioning camp for the players. The meeting lasted more than two hours with Srikkanth and Kumble standing firmly behind Ganguly’s inclusion.

While Badrinath and Mishra got the selectors' nod, middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh was ignored yet again for the longer version of the game.

Rohit Sharma, Parthiv Patel, Dinesh Karthik and Pragyan Ojha, who figured in the Indian squad during the last Test series against Sri Lanka, were omitted from the team announced by the board through a press release.

Virender Sehwag and Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir are the two specialist openers in the squad and the duo has been in good form in recent times, which prompted the selectors not to opt for a reserve opener.

The middle order has a settled look with Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who also marks a return. But all these experienced batsmen will be under some pressure to perform particularly after their miserable show in the recent series against Sri Lanka.

Immediately after the team was announced, there was speculation that Ganguly had been given the opportunity for an 'honourable exit' but it could not be immediately confirmed whether the BCCI indeed had such plans.

The new team under Kumble has seven specialist batsmen, four seamers, three spinners and a wicketkeeper in vice-captain Dhoni.

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who sat out of the recent tri-series against Sri Lanka because of an elbow injury, retained his place in the Test squad after being declared fit.

The selection of Ganguly reflects a new approach by the Srikkanth-led committee, which has banked on experience rather than grooming too many young players for the gruelling series against Australia.

Ganguly, who made a spectacular entry into Tests with a debut ton at Lord's in 1996, made a storming return to the five-day game in South Africa in late 2006 after losing his place earlier that year due to a fall-out with then coach Greg Chappell.

The classy left-hander amassed over 1100 runs with 239 his career-best score, against Pakistan in Bangalore in late 2007, at a fantastic average of 61.44 last year which compares favourably with his career average of 41.74 in 109 Tests.

Twenty-eight-year-old Badrinath was rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic cricket and India A engagements in recent times.

Badrinath has played only three ODIs and with a well-settled middle-order line-up, it appears extremely unlikely that he would get a chance to make his Test debut while Mishra, who has got the nod purely on the basis of his domestic and Indian Premier League (IPL) performances, might get a chance to make his Test debut if India opt to play three spinners at home.

Tamil Nadu skipper Badrinath has scored 4638 runs in 66 first-class matches at an impressive average of 55.21. Mishra's inclusion has come as a bit of a surprise as the leg-spinner has done nothing remarkable whenever he has been given an opportunity to play an international game, though his performance has been quite impressive in the past two domestic seasons.

The 25-year-old has played three ODIs, scalping three wickets, but in first-class cricket, he averages a decent 25.21 with 289 wickets in 75 matches.

Zaheer Khan will spearhead the pace bowling department which has Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel and Rudra Pratap Singh. Except for RP Singh, the other three performed impressively in the Irani Cup, where Ishant represented Ranji Trophy champions Delhi.

Indian squad for first two Tests: Anil Kumble (captain), MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, S Badrinath, Amit Mishra, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Munaf Patel.

गांगुली को मिली टेस्ट टीम में जगह

गांगुली को मिली टेस्ट टीम में जगह

	सौरव गांगुली को ईरानी ट्राफ़ी की टीम में जगह नहीं मिल पाई थी

तमाम अटकलों को ख़ारिज करते हुए भारतीय क्रिकेट कंट्रोल बोर्ड की नई चयन समिति ने पूर्व कप्तान सौरभ गांगुली को टेस्ट टीम में शामिल कर लिया है.

उनका चयन ऑस्ट्रेलिया के साथ होने वाले पहले दो टेस्ट मैचों के लिए किया गया है.

भारतीय क्रिकेट कंट्रोल बोर्ड की नई चयन समिति की बुधवार को मुंबई में दो घंटे तक चली बैठक में इस टीम का चयन किया गया.

नई टीम

चयन समिति के अध्यक्ष पूर्व टेस्ट क्रिकेटर कृष्णमचारी श्रीकांत हैं. यह चयन समिति भारतीय क्रिकेट कंट्रोल बोर्ड (बीसीसीआई) की पहली ऐसी चयन समिति है जिसे वेतन दिया जाएगा.

आस्ट्रेलिया के साथ होने वाले पहले दो टेस्ट मैचों के लिए चुनी गई भारतीय टीम में दिल्ली के स्पिनर अमित मिश्रा और एस बद्रीनाथ को भी जगह दी गई है.

सौरभ गांगुली को अभी हाल में हुई ईरानी ट्राफ़ी टूर्नामेंट के लिए टीम में नहीं चुना गया था.

ईरानी ट्राफ़ी के लिए टीम का चयन दिलीप वेंगसरकर की अध्यक्षता वाली चयन समिति ने किया था.

इन दिनों आस्ट्रेलियाई क्रिकेट टीम भारत के दौर पर है. इस दौरे में वह चार टेस्ट मैच खेलगी.

पहला मैच नौ अक्तूबर से बंगलौर में खेला जाएगा और दूसरा टेस्ट मैच पंजाब के मोहाली में सत्रह अक्तूबर से खेला जाएगा.

अनिल कुंबले (कप्तान), विरेंद्र सहवाग, गौतम गंभीर, राहुल द्रविड़, सचिन तेंदुलकर, बीबीएस लक्ष्मण, सौरभ गांगुली, महेंद्र सिंह धोनी (वीकेट कीपर), हरभजन सिंह, ईशांत शर्मा, ज़हीर ख़ान, मुनाफ़ पटेल, आरपी सिंह, अमित मिश्रा और एस बद्रीनाथ.