Source: IPL is a new job for you. Are you going to captain the Kolkata team?
Sourav Ganguly: Yes, that is what I have heard and it will be good fun to play Twenty20 cricket which will be in the county format. It will be good.
Source: Is IPL the next level of cricket?
Sourav Ganguly: It is a form of cricket now. There are three forms of cricket. Test cricket, One-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket. IPL will obviously excite a lot of cricket fans in this country. It will be fast game. So it will be good.
Source: Which players would you like to have in Shah Rukh’s team?
Sourav Ganguly: It does not work like this in IPL. When you pick the team for India you know who the players are and you pick from them. But in IPL, the bidding is different. For Shah Rukh’s team I may like someone but he may lose him in bidding, to put it precisely. So, it’s very difficult to comment on the team till the bidding happens. There are eight teams bidding for players. So it will depend on other teams as well.
Source: Would you like to have an Indian coach or a foreigner?
Sourav Ganguly: The franchise has to decide that.
Source: You had a very good record last year and now watching the One-day matches on television from home, isn't it frustrating?
Sourav Ganguly: It is disappointing because I have been in great form last year. Probably scored the most runs in the world last year, if you take both forms of the game. And then to miss out on a One-day series in Australia, which is always a challenging place to play cricket, is disappointing. But that is the way it is. Sachin is playing in One-day cricket and rest of us are not.
I think giving chance to players depend on the selectors. At the end of the day, it is selectors’ decision who they want to pick and who you they don't want to pick. And performance will guide them who to pick and who not to pick. But as I said before I am disappointed not being a part of the One-day team because of my performance last year and my over-all record as a One-Day player. But that is the way it is. Things happen at times and you have to accept it.
Source: Did you see any outstanding fielding in this few matches in Australia ? The reason that was shown (for keeping you out) to you was slow fielding.
Sourav Ganguly: Whatever it is. It is not fair for me to say. I have been around for quite a long time and I have a responsibility to Indian cricket. So, I don't think pointing things out is right for somebody like me whose played for so long. I wish Dhoni and his team well. They did well against Australia last night but there is still lot of One-day games to go in this series. I wish them well and I hope India wins.
Source: When you were out, Dilip Vengsarkar was the man who brought you in. How much faith do you have in him?
Sourav Ganguly: He is one person I respect a lot. I grew up seeing him play Test cricket and One-dayers. As a selector he has done wonderful things for Indian cricket. He got me back into the team. And also Zaheer Khan back to the team. And the performances we have shown, I am sure with him around things will happen.
Source: In 2004 during the Bangladesh tour, you were the person who picked up Dhoni. And now Dhoni feels out of four old stars each will play one at a time in a series.
Sourav Ganguly: I think you are being a bit harsh on Dhoni. He is the captain of India and he wants to win for India as well. Let’s back him and put all these questions beside and wish him good luck.
Source: After the twenty20 matches Yuvi is not in good touch. What is wrong with him?
Sourav Ganguly: It happens in a career. I am sure he is going to get back into form. He is an important part of the One-day team. If he gets back into form in the middle order, I am sure the team performance will go up. So our good wishes are with Yuvraj.
Source: You and Shah Rukh are in the same platform. So can we expect a Chak De on the IPL?
Sourav Ganguly: (laughs) I don’t know all that. I am here to play cricket. I have been asked to do a job, to lead the Bengal team in the IPL. We will try to win. Shah Rukh has put in a lot of money. If the team plays better, he will recover whatever money he has put in. That’s also another important criterion. Putting so much money in cricket shows how big a heart he has got. It’s a great thing to see somebody from other fields is interested in the game.
Source: Did you have any word with Shah Rukh?
Sourav Ganguly: No, I have not spoken to him as yet. But I am sure during the course of time we will meet.
Source: We have heard that a minimum of four local players have to be in the team. So, how are the local players going to benefit of the IPL?
Sourav Ganguly: They will get the opportunity to play with the best players in the world. They will learn a lot in the course of this 45-day tournament from the players who have performed for India and world. So from that point of view it will be a good opportunity for them. And also, IPL will provide them good revenue which is also very important.
Source: There is a lot cricket ahead - Tests and One-day internationals. You have fought very hard. So, do you see a comeback again to the One-day side?
Sourav Ganguly: I know I have not been dropped on the basis of performance. So we will have to wait and see what the selectors think for the future. There is a lot of Test cricket ahead this year. Probably there are more Tests than One-day cricket. So I am looking forward to the Test matches and we are a fantastic Test team. I am sure this will be a good year for Indian cricket.
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