Indian Domestic cricket 08-09 : Irani Trophy

[beetle]

I have a couple of years left: Ganguly September 09, 2008 15:54 IST Not alien to comebacks, former India captain Sourav Ganguly [images] insists he is in no mood to call it quits, for he believes he has another couple of year's cricket left in him. Selectors snubbed Ganguly, ignoring him while picking the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy, thus putting a question mark over his fate. The left-hander, however, made it clear that he is not throwing in the towel. Is it the end of the road for Ganguly? The former captain seemed to have come to terms with his ODI exclusion but insisted he is in no mood to hang up his boots as far as Test and Twenty20 [images] cricket are concerned. "I would like to think I have a couple of years left," Ganguly said when asked if he would miss cricket once he quits the game. "But I won't say I'll miss touring. I'll miss the cricket we play the satisfaction you get from scoring a century or from winning a Test," the left-hander told British daily The Sun. Asked if he missed not being part of the one-day squad anymore, Ganguly, in London [images] on a promotional campaign, said, "At the present moment I'm playing Test cricket and Twenty20 in the Indian Premier League [images]. Ganguly best, but no place in Rest "I miss the one-day game but the older players understand we won't be playing in the 2011 World Cup. So now it is time for the young players to get match experience," said the former captain who made a stunning comeback to the Indian side after being dropped following his soured relation with the then coach Greg Chappell [images]. Insisting that he is not playing the game for any financial reasons, Ganguly said age is not an issue with him and he would continue playing both the Test and Twenty20 versions of the game. "With so much money involved in the IPL you still have to live up to the expectations. It doesn't matter what age you are you have to perform. "So I will finish both IPL and Test cricket at the same -- at this stage of my career I am not playing for financial gain, it's all about the performance." he said. "You want to finish with reputation in tact, not with people questioning your ability," he added. Dwelling on the IPL, Ganguly envisaged an international league and said, "IPL is like a movie show three hours of big names and even teams owned by movie stars. My team is owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan [images]! "But I fear the ICC [images] will interfere with the IPL and try and control it more. With so much cricket involved, the future could be an international league." Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders [images] could not make it to the semi-finals of the inaugural IPL and Ganguly blamed it on missing a number of key players due to their national duty. "There is pressure on my team to do well in the IPL next year, because last year we did not get the results we wanted. "But that in part was down to players coming and going for international duty," he said. Ganguly also shared his view on Sri Lanka's [images] mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis [images] and said, "He is a very accurate bowler and at the other end we had Muttiah Muralitharan [images]. It is too early to say how Mendis will do in the long term compared to Murali, but there is no question he will be a big player for them." Asked to choose the highlights of his illustrious career, Ganguly said, "There are so many: Reaching the World Cup final in 2003, beating Pakistan in Pakistan. Doing well in Australia [images] as captain in 2003 and beating them in India in 2001. "Winning the Test series in England [images] last year was very special," he added. On personal memories, he said, "For me it is about the team cricket is a team sport. A hundred in a defeat is not as good as a 70 in a victory." http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/sep/09gang.htm

[Dinx - the Jinx]

:( dada.. cme back soon. i cant see india/aus series without you..

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Ganguly sacrificed for fifth bowler “It was difficult to find a place for him in the XI and what’s the point in keeping him in the squad if he can’t be played?” More... Ganguly sacrificed for fifth bowler Atreyo Mukhopadhyay, Hindustan Times Kolkata, September 08, 2008 First Published: 23:26 IST(8/9/2008) Last Updated: 23:28 IST(8/9/2008) The decision to dump Sourav Ganguly was taken in consultation with Test captain Anil Kumble. The selectors want to try out five bowlers in the Irani Cup match ahead of the Test series against Australia and there is no room for India’s most successful left-handed batsman in that combination. “It was difficult to find a place for him in the XI and what’s the point in keeping him in the squad if he can’t be played?” a source close to the selection committee told HT. “Then, they want (VVS) Laxman to bat at No. 6, which becomes the case if Ganguly is in the XI. Under the circumstances, he was the only one who could be dropped.” He confirmed that selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar spoke to Kumble during the meeting in Mumbai. “Both agreed that this was the best way ahead. Plus, there are a number of youngsters like S. Badrinath, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma waiting for their turn.” So why was Badrinath kept out of the Rest of India squad where Mohammad Kaif found a place? “Badri wouldn’t have got a place in the XI. So the selectors decided to keep him in the India A side (which is playing a series against Australia A and another with New Zealand) so that he stays match-fit,” explained the insider. Elaborating on Ganguly’s omission, he said that talks had started even before the Test series in Sri Lanka was over. “The selectors and Kumble had discussed who to leave out if Laxman was to be promoted or if the team wanted a fifth bowler. Dropping Ganguly must have been the best option.” According to this source, the Rest of India side will field three medium-pacers alongside Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. That means someone from the middle-order will have to accompany Wasim Jaffer as opener. This responsibility may go to Rahul Dravid irrespective of his reluctance to bat in that position.

[Dark Warrior]

hey i was just asking.. dint want you to change your signature and all If you include captaincy as a criteria, you shouldn't be putting Sachin next to Dhoni ... :winky:

u made me rethink on my sign, so changed it. :shot: nd abt dhoni's batting, captaincy, keeping funda i wanna say is, i want to see team india winning, nd thts wat dhoni is doing, thts wat sachin is doing nd thts wat our team is doing.......... Hail India :top:

[coffee_rules]

This is quinessential Indian media. Kumble never gave any statement and all is pure gossip. Most of visual Indian media operate at a tabloid level. Even the serious ones, like Aaj Tak, Times Now have no journalistic ethics. Some of the print media like Hindu is slightly better.

[Dravid]

Ganguly's omission will not make any difference: Kumble when the side is heading towards a collasp, and dont need any1 going into their shell.. like sometimes in ENG tour and Aus tour... not having ganguly will make a diff. kumbo bumbo jumbo..

[Sachinism]

Ganguly's omission will not make any difference: Kumble when the side is heading towards a collasp, and dont need any1 going into their shell.. like sometimes in ENG tour and Aus tour... not having ganguly will make a diff. kumbo bumbo jumbo..

Again the media may have taken things out of context or turned things around I don't think Kumble is that stupid to say something like that in public he's played with Ganguly for many years, he must know how important Ganguly is and could be to the team

[yoda]

we need term limits for cricketers. 10 years and you are out.

[Chaos]

It is sad.....dianakkar ..but it has to happe some day.Wish he is given one last chance to score a big one and allowed to go out with dignity. I also wish Dravid plays well in the series and then announces his retirement. Wouldn't want him to play under that snake dhoni.Better to go out with dignity.

dhoni snake? my god, the way dravid some times put pressure on the ENTIRE batting lineup when we need quick runs is horrendus. Dont comment dhoni cuz dravid aint even fit to play anymore. I still remember that pathetic innings of his when we were on top with an easy victory. Thanks to his horrendus 7 runs in 99 balls we made a easy win in to a draw.

[Desi Cartman]

I have a feeling that Mr MSD is behind all this .. al though I think its a good decision to drop him

[Desi Cartman]

A new innings beckons Sourav

Kolkata: End of the road for Dada? Not really, for it could well be a new beginning for Sourav Ganguly. Indian selectors may have put a road block on his career-path as a cricketer but an alternative career beckons the former India captain should he call it quits. Such is the Bengal stalwart’s charisma that he remains a top draw in the commercial world. Sourav, in fact, has been toying with quite a few offers from TV channels to host programmes even before the Sri Lanka series. If things go as per the script, you could well see ‘Maharaj’ in a new avatar on the small screen in an interesting game show to be aired by a newlylaunched channel. “Even when he was out of the team, it hardly affected his market-rating. He had the nation’s sympathy that was wellmilked by a soft drink major in an ad (Bhoole to nahin...). It will be no different this time, for the general feeling is that he has been done in again by the selectors,” said an event management expert. From the market point of view, once Sourav gets over the initial disappointment, he stands to take more money by airing his views freely, a prerogative of all former cricketers. The fact that he is eloquent, graceful, wellgroomed and enjoys a countrywide fan following makes him an irresistible package for the electronic media. When he was the captain, his cricket columns used to command the highest fee. Given his stature and grasp of the game, he could well give Sunil Gavaskar a run for his money on this front. He has been also planning to start writing his autobiography. With a career as colourful as his, you can hardly blame publishers from queueing up for the rights. The possibilities are endless. For Sourav Ganguly, there are no full stops in life.

[Texy]

I'm going to closely observe how kumble does in the aussie series..... and then i'm going to take a bamboo and shove it up his ass..

[DomainK]

^^ Well, when he was out of the team, his brand value did take a beating. There is no denying that. May be he didn't lose commercial opportunities in WB, but at a national level, his demand did drop. However, Ganguly is good at communicating. His Hindi is better than most other Bengalis. In fact his Hindi accent is quite good for an east Indian. His English is also decent. He would make a nice expert commentator. But I dont think becoming a game show host (not related to cricket) is a great idea for him.

[Dark Warrior]

dhoni snake? my god' date=' the way dravid some times put pressure on the ENTIRE batting lineup when we need quick runs is horrendus. Dont comment dhoni cuz dravid aint even fit to play anymore. I still remember that pathetic innings of his when we were on top with an easy victory. Thanks to his horrendus 7 runs in 99 balls we made a easy win in to a draw.[/quote'] completely agree with u, bro. :thumbs_up:

[Dark Warrior]

I have a feeling that Mr MSD is behind all this .. al though I think its a good decision to drop him

nopes, i dont think so. its kumble's decision

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Ganguly to figure in Club tournament New Delhi: Sourav Ganguly?s omission from the Irani Trophy, many believe a sign of things to come, has baffled Australia captain Ricky Ponting who believes it would be ?interesting? to face an Indian team sans the belligerent ... More... Ganguly omission baffles Ponting New Delhi: Sourav Ganguly’s omission from the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy has baffled Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who believes it would be “interesting” to face an Indian team sans the belligerent left-hander, if he is left out of the Indian Test squad. Although the Indian Fab Four of Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and V. V. S. Laxman came a cropper in the Test series in Sri Lanka, Ponting did not read too much into it. “Every series is different. You can go through one series not doing very well but in the start of the next series, you can start off and make a big score and suddenly you are back on track again. That is what cricket is all about. Things can change so quickly in the game,” Ponting told a TV channel in Dubai. “But the one thing I have noticed is that Sourav hasn’t been named in the initial squad (the Rest of India squad), and that I think is going to be interesting for me during the tour,” said the Australian, recovering from a wrist surgery. Ponting, meanwhile, predicted that it would be a re-building phase for the Indian team over the next 12 months. Ganguly to figure in Club tournament PTI Monday, September 15, 2008 21:07 IST KOLKATA: Failing to make the cut in the Irani Trophy squad, former skipper Sourav Ganguly is missing no chance to strike eluding form and will be seen in action in the 15th All-India JP Atray tournament, to be played in Chandigarh and Mohali from September 17. The Kolkatan southpaw will represent LIC Cricket Club in the league-cum-knock out tournament which may also feature cricketers like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh. Practising at Eden Gardens, Ganguly said, "What's the point of sitting. It will give a nice match practice." Along with Ganguly, Bengal pace bowler Ranadeb Bose will also take part in the meet. The duo are expected to leave for Chandigarh on Tuesday, subject to Cricket Association of Bengal's (CAB) nod. Ganguly will play three matches on consecutive days from Friday before returning on Monday. Left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Mohammed Kaif, Wasim Jaffar, Gautam Gambhir and Munaf Patel are also expected to figure in their respective squads. The participating teams are Punjab Cricket Club, BPCL, Mumbai, St Bank of Hyderabad, HPCA Academy, ONGC-Delhi, Assam CA, St Bank of Mysore-Bangalore, Indian Oil Corp-Mumbai, MRF-Chennai, Moody ICL, MPCA XI, CM XI-Haryana, LIC Cricket Club, PCA Colts, RCA XI and India Cements Ltd-Chennai. The matches will be played at PCA Cricket Stadium at Mohali, Sector-16 Stadium in Chandigarh, DAV School (Chandigarh) and St John's School Cricket Stadium at Barwala.

[SachDan]

Who will watch Irani Trophy? The new selection committee, that will pick the team for the first Test, will be formed on Sept 28, the last day of the five-day season opener in Baroda MUMBAI: The Irani Trophy - played between the Ranji Trophy champions and Rest of India - has traditionally been the season-opener and performances count when the Indian team is selected for a tour abroad or a home series. However, as on date, it is not clear which team of selectors will watch this five-day game to be played at Baroda from September 24 to 28. The reason is simple. The new selection committee is to be formed at the September 28 AGM of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). And it isn’t clear if Dilip Vengsarkar and some eligible members of his team will get an extension. The team for the first Test will be picked by the new selection committee, one that will be formed on the last day of the Irani Trophy. :nervous: When contacted a few members of the committee said they have no instructions with regard to the game. “Ask the administrators,†said a member of the committee. “We don’t know how to approach this game,†said another member. Interestingly, the administrators too have no answers. Asked how the selectors should approach this game, Niranjan Shah, the current BCCI secretary, said, “If they want to watch, they can. I will have no problem.†Shah, who is the convener of the senior selection committee, will be relinquishing his position at the AGM. :yay::yay: The new secretary will be the convenor of the new selection committee that will pick the team for the first Test will be known only at this AGM. So Irani Trophy, which has unearthed players like current selection chairman Dilip Vengsarkar (for his gallant effort in Nagpur in 1975) and current India skipper Anil Kumble (for his mesmerising spell in 1992-93 in Delhi), may not be seriously watched by any selector despite the fact the creme-de-la-creme of Indian cricket featuring. A couple of the selectors are expected to watch the action on the first couple of days. Incidentally, Vengsarkar’s committee will meet on either September 22 or 23 for one last time. They will pick the India A squad that will take on touring New Zealand A in two four-day games (from Sept 28-Oct 1 and Oct 3-6, both in Chennai). WILL VENGSARKAR STAY? Meanwhile, the speculation is rife on how the new committee, the first comprising paid selectors, will look. Vengsarkar is believed to be having the blessings of the outgoing president Sharad Pawar, but it is not known what the thinking of the incoming president Shashank Manohar. A section of the Board thinks that Vengsarkar, who was forced to give up writing syndicated columns, should not be removed as the Board decides to pay the selectors. Constitutionally, Vengsarkar has two more years on the committee, as does South Zone’s Venkatapathy Raju. Other members of the committee Ranjib Biswal and Bhupinder Singh have one year each. The only hitch for them is a clause that a selector cannot be an office-bearers of a state association. Pawar is believed to have assured the selectors that he would have look at the clause before the AGM. Sanjay Jagdale, the other member of the current committee, will have to make way as he has completed four years. He is tipped to be the new joint secretary. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1191124&pageid=0

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Tendulkar completes training stint More... Tendulkar completes training stint Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 Bangalore: Sachin Tendulkar after a week-long training stint at the National Cricket Academy returned to Mumbai on Wednesday evening. Tendulkar besides attending fitness sessions also had regular knocks at the nets with Test skipper Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and S. Sreesanth, who is on a comeback trail from injury, joining the maestro. The quartet had extensive nets on the freshly laid seven practice pitches in the KSCA (B) Ground that will also be supplemented by floodlights in the coming days. Tendulkar’s Mumbai-mate Ajit Agarkar left on Tuesday while Sreesanth will be at the academy for some more time. Meanwhile the Indian women’s team captain Mithali Raj along with Rumeli Dhar and Jaya Sharma are at the academy for a routine fitness and rehabilitation program. The trio are expected to be here till Friday. — Principal Correspondent

[amits]

lets hope shikhar dhawan gets fit in time and plays a big innings in the irani trophy & breaks into the indian team in place of the useless rohit sharma

[SachDan]

Sachin ruled out of Irani Trophy Sachin Tendulkar has not fully recovered from the injury he suffered during the SL tour..hence he won't be taking part in the Irani Trophy reports NDTV :(( Sachin will do normal nets and training in Mumbai next week and is expected to be fit with in a week