Here we go again! The eternal comeback man (if we include Jimmy Amarnath also to this list) of Indian cricket Saurav Chandidas Ganguly or as Geoffrey Boycott fondly calls him our very own Prince of Kolkatta, has been dropped for the umpteenth time in his long career. But, this time is there a way back for the much loved, heavily criticized, and at times even despised character of Indian cricket?
First let’s get into the facts, since his sensational comeback in 2006 Dada has been one of the most consistent performers in the test arena, with an average which is only inferior to the Nawab of Najafgarh, who has played 4 tests less than him. And when we compare his record over the past 12 months with the remaining three -Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar - then he easily stands head and shoulders above them.
So considering these things, and also the fact that he had just one bad series versus the Lankans when for all purposes our famed Fab Five (excluding Sehwag) came a cropper to the wiles and guiles of a certain Ajantha Mendis, who remarkably even outshone his more famous team mate Murali in his debut series. Was it fair on the part of the selectors to drop him for the upcoming Irani trophy match that is considered as the lung opener of the season?
Why is Ganguly always singled out for harsh punishment? Maybe it is because he doesnt care a damn for anyone or is it that the selectors were too afraid to drop a Tendulkar or a Dravid because of their connections with well known personalities like a Sharad Pawar or a certain Anil Kumble respectively. If we consider just statistics alone for the past 12 months then Dravid's head should have been the one on the chopping block first.
And also continuing with Dravid, technically speaking, he doesn’t look like the wall of India that we have known him to be. He has repeatedly shown a penchant for being dismissed either LBW or bowled. But he has Anil Kumble strongly backing his case and also no sane selector will have the guts to drop Tendulkar, so that leaves only Ganguly and Laxman. And if we compare the record of Laxman and Ganguly versus Australia then in all fairness Laxman should get the nod, but, the point here is does Sourav deserve another chance?
Time and again Sourav has risen from the ashes like a true phoenix, just when every cricket writer worth his salt prepares his obituary he has rewritten the odds and come up trumps. No other cricketer in India evokes the kind of emotions he does in a cricket lover - maybe because he speaks his mind, is not daunted by the opposition. He took Indian cricket to another level from the goody gentlemen to the all conquering aggressive world beaters. He rescued the team in a particularly difficult position from the sordid match fixing saga that threatened to bury the game, and above all is the most successful Indian captain of all time.
This article is not about eulogizing a particular individual (though I am a little passionate about Ganguly), it is for the double standards that the selectors show also how politics plays such a crucial role in team selection these days. I hope as many millions of Indians would that the much beloved Dada once again makes a grand comeback and proved the cynics wrong, until then let’s wait and watch for the action to unfold.
First let’s get into the facts, since his sensational comeback in 2006 Dada has been one of the most consistent performers in the test arena, with an average which is only inferior to the Nawab of Najafgarh, who has played 4 tests less than him. And when we compare his record over the past 12 months with the remaining three -Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar - then he easily stands head and shoulders above them.
So considering these things, and also the fact that he had just one bad series versus the Lankans when for all purposes our famed Fab Five (excluding Sehwag) came a cropper to the wiles and guiles of a certain Ajantha Mendis, who remarkably even outshone his more famous team mate Murali in his debut series. Was it fair on the part of the selectors to drop him for the upcoming Irani trophy match that is considered as the lung opener of the season?
Why is Ganguly always singled out for harsh punishment? Maybe it is because he doesnt care a damn for anyone or is it that the selectors were too afraid to drop a Tendulkar or a Dravid because of their connections with well known personalities like a Sharad Pawar or a certain Anil Kumble respectively. If we consider just statistics alone for the past 12 months then Dravid's head should have been the one on the chopping block first.
And also continuing with Dravid, technically speaking, he doesn’t look like the wall of India that we have known him to be. He has repeatedly shown a penchant for being dismissed either LBW or bowled. But he has Anil Kumble strongly backing his case and also no sane selector will have the guts to drop Tendulkar, so that leaves only Ganguly and Laxman. And if we compare the record of Laxman and Ganguly versus Australia then in all fairness Laxman should get the nod, but, the point here is does Sourav deserve another chance?
Time and again Sourav has risen from the ashes like a true phoenix, just when every cricket writer worth his salt prepares his obituary he has rewritten the odds and come up trumps. No other cricketer in India evokes the kind of emotions he does in a cricket lover - maybe because he speaks his mind, is not daunted by the opposition. He took Indian cricket to another level from the goody gentlemen to the all conquering aggressive world beaters. He rescued the team in a particularly difficult position from the sordid match fixing saga that threatened to bury the game, and above all is the most successful Indian captain of all time.
This article is not about eulogizing a particular individual (though I am a little passionate about Ganguly), it is for the double standards that the selectors show also how politics plays such a crucial role in team selection these days. I hope as many millions of Indians would that the much beloved Dada once again makes a grand comeback and proved the cynics wrong, until then let’s wait and watch for the action to unfold.
No comments:
Post a Comment