Ganguly still hopes for a return to ODIs

[IndianRenegade]

Ganguly still hopes for a return to ODIs Kolkata: Breaking his silence over his omission from the ODI team, Sourav Ganguly said on Monday that it was 'disappointing' when his One-day record is only next best after Sachin Tendulkar, but he had 'accepted' the selectors' decision. A reticent former Indian captain was unwilling to be drawn into any discussion on his being ignored but even then his hurt shows. "I am disappointed just like any other cricketer in not being a part of the One-day side as I had a great year last year and my One-day record is probably the next best after Sachin. It is disappointing but then I have accepted it", he said in an interview. Ganguly refused to answer questions about reports that he and Rahul Dravid were left out of the ODI team on the insistence of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. "I do not want to talk about it," he said. Following are the other points made by the left-hander who was named along with Sachin Tendulkar as the BCCI's 'players for the period October 07 to January 08' for their exploits in the Test series against Pakistan at home and against Australia Down Under: On whether experience should be sacrificed for youth and whether India was going in the right direction in preparing for the 2011 World Cup: "I know my answer, but I keep it with myself. I must say that 2011 World Cup is still a long way away. But I have a lot of faith in Dilip Vengsarkar, somebody whom I respect quite a lot, and I am sure good things will happen under him." How many years the 'Golden Four' of Indian cricket - Sachin Tendulkar, himself, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman - expect to play? "It is difficult to say how many more years we all will play. It depends on performance, because that's what matters in cricket." On the general view that he could play for at least another three years: "It all depends on performance". Does the Indian team need a coach since it has performed well without one and whether Indian cricket had learnt any lessons from the Greg Chappell episode? "The team has got Gary Kirsten as the coach. He was with us in Australia during the last two Test matches and we look forward to exciting times ahead with him. Regarding the Greg Chappell episode, I do not want to talk about it. On whether he has spoken to Chappell after his comeback or if he has any plans to speak to him: "I do not want to raise the Greg Chappell issue again". How does he rate Anil Kumble as a captain and what are his strengths? "I think he has done fantastically well as the captain. His strength is his man management skills and the tremendous confidence he has in his players". Has he spoken to Shah Rukh Khan, who wants him to be the captain of the Kolkata team in the Indian Premier League: "I have not spoken to Shah Rukh Khan yet. Let me speak to him and then we will see where it goes." About the recent acrimony between Indian and Australian players: "I really do not want to talk about it much because a lot of things have been spoken and done. It's good that they have all gone back to cricket because that's what matters at the end of the day". Whether unruly behaviour by players can be checked by tough umpires: "I think the umpires are tough in the field nowadays. But sometimes certain things happen at the heat of the moment and the best thing is to sort it out amicably". Use of technology in umpiring: "I think there should be a balance of technology in the umpires' role. But we must realise that we all make mistakes and mistakes will happen always. "As a cricketer, I feel that if the field umpires get a bit of help in the matter of the front foot no ball from the technology as they have in tennis, that they can concentrate and look only towards the batsman and that can reduce mistakes, because things happen fast in the cricket field".

[IndianRenegade]

Poor Gangully, I think the chances for dada and wall are getting lesser and lesser. They seemed to have had a chance if one would consider the T20 match, but since then things have been fairly good for the current team. They would have to perform extremely bad for Dada and Wall to return. I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon.

[Chandan]

I am disappointed just like any other cricketer in not being a part of the One-day side as I had a great year last year and my One-day record is probably the next best after Sachin. It is disappointing but then I have accepted it", he said in an interview

Where does he say that he still hopes for a comeback?

[IndianRenegade]

Where does he say that he still hopes for a comeback?

Another sloppy bit of work from the media?

[talksport]

Good catch there Chandan....but he did not announce his retirement from ODIs , did he.

[bunny]

Where does he say that he still hopes for a comeback?

Well, isn't that obvious from the entire article?

[diegovegaz]

if sehwag continues 2 play like this, edging 2 slips and playing on to the stumps, ganguly will soon be back sachin and saurav's opening partnerships can give the indian middle order a boost and, once they golden four decide quits for odis, they, i.e. all 4 of them should b given a farewell series, leave out 3 "young" batsmen from the squad, sachin is already there, and bring in the other 3 no bowling attack will b able 2 restrict us under 260-270

[talksport]

no bowling attack will b able 2 restrict us under 260-270

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh did in 2007 in the matches that mattered

[Chandan]

Well' date=' isn't that obvious from the entire article?[/quote'] Not at all. Instead he is saying that he has accepted his exclusion which means even he thinks that his ODI career is over until something drastic happens to Indian cricket.

[sandtest]

The great Sobers incarnate Yuvraj seems to be out of sorts on this tour. I have no clue as to why Dhoni decided to axe in-form Dada. Part of it could be politics: he wanted to be sure the team is packed with his men, performance not withstanding. Yuvi is of course his main supporter. Dhoni should watch his back though: its no secret Yuvi lusts for captaincy. The moment Dhoni is unsuccessful, he will suffer the same fate that he bestowed on Dada and Dravid. (though I will be the most happy person if this kind of thinking of mine is proved wrong in future) However, Still, its not a bad thing. Dhoni managed to do what a greedy board or a spineless board known as BCCI couldnt do, which is plan a team for a future. I just wish he was a bit less brash: Dada and SRT have quite a lot of experience and it would be good for him to take advantage of it. A rotating policy of 2/3 would make more sense. Dhoni's antics remind me of the politics that took place in Congress party during PVNR days.

[bunny]

Not at all. Instead he is saying that he has accepted his exclusion which means even he thinks that his ODI career is over until something drastic happens to Indian cricket.

And that's what he is hoping for :)

[kumble_rocks]

Nothing wrong in hoping .... But I hope he does not go the Laxman route of releasing periodic "I am disappointed" statements ....

[Chandan]

And that's what he is hoping for :)

Really?? Which comment of his conveyed to you his hope? I am quite eager to know. Please show or quote that comment.

[IndianRenegade]

Really?? Which comment of his conveyed to you his hope? I am quite eager to know. Please show or quote that comment.

Its really boils down to interpretation. Some may find his statement that he is disappointed and he is only probably next to Tendulkar, makes it seem as though he thinks that he must be in the team. And they also interpret his statement that he has accepted the decision of the selectors as a mere politically correct statement. While others may think that he realizes that his one day carrier is over. Its hard to say which interpretation is correct unless Gangully himself clears the air. This is unlikely to happen.

[Ram]

I didnt exactly see anywhere in the article where Ganguly has explicitly stated that he wants to comeback into the one-day team, but assuming he said that, who is he kidding ? Let us all get one thing absolutely clear. One day cricket has undergone a transformational change. This isnt a purist's game anymore, where technically correct batsman get in behind the line of the ball nicely and defend it with all assurance back to the bowler. This is now a hustler's game, a game of power-hitting, outstanding in-field catching and athletic ground fielding. Most ODIs are won on the field, and not with the bat and ball alone. Anyone who saw Aus throw themselves around like their lives depended in the last match against Ind will realize how, through sheer commitment, excellent fitness and good fielding alone, how a team could be competitive. Besides, this isnt a game for the timers of the ball or good defensive players anymore. Look at the most successful ODI players in this decade and names like Hayden, Pietersen, Gilchrist, Symonds, Yuvraj crop up. All these are power hitter, of course there are a few exceptions like Sachin, but quite simply there is no place for guys like Dravid, Laxman etc in the team anymore. The sooner they realize it, the better.

[Guest dada_rocks]

If Dhoni's team keep winning then it wud be hard to come back for him

[Guest dada_rocks]

Utthapa and Gambhir have not cemented their place... Yuvraj Singh will evnetually score runs he is toog odd to keep failing for long in this version of game

[Ram]

Forget it DR, Ganguly isnt coming back at all. Pray all you want, but its not gonna happen.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Not worried at all not even praying as long as India wins I am fine by it.. I do see Dhoni's point that he is preparing for 2011 and needs to give younger players some exposure. As long as he delivers .. Dada is a fighter though

[Predator_05]

The bhench-ds in the Indian media are at it again. You can bet the convo went something like this; Dipsh it journo: Saurav, how do you feel about being left out of the Indian side ? SCG: I am disappointed, etc. etc. but I have accepted their decision. Newspaper headlines read; SHOCK HORROR; SAURAV WANTS TO MAKE ODI RETURN, LOLL!!!?!!111 READ ALL ABOUT IT