Ganguly might be offered ‘honourable exit’: Reports

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On September 30 the existing player contracts expire and it will be interesting to see just what they decide when it comes to the senior players, especially Sourav Ganguly, who has already been given a hint of what lies in store, reports Anand Vasu. More... Contract axe could fall on Sourav Anand Vasu, Hindustan Times Mumbai, September 28, 2008 First Published: 22:38 IST(28/9/2008) Last Updated: 22:50 IST(28/9/2008) As the excitement settles down from the board's Annual General Meeting, the new office-bearers will have their first serious business to transact in the near future. On September 30, the existing player contracts expire and it will be interesting to see just what they decide when it comes to some of the senior players, especially Sourav Ganguly, who has already been given a hint of what lies in store when he was left out of the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup. Shashank Manohar, the president, N Srinivasan, the secretary and K. Srikkanth, the chairman of the senior selection committee, will have to draw up a list of which cricketers they want to award central contracts to, and more specifically in which category. Currently the board offers four grades of annual contracts. The highest, which is the A contract, comes with a retainer of Rs 60 lakhs, while the B category retainership is Rs 40 lakhs, C Rs 25 lakhs and finally D of Rs 15 lakhs. Any player who represents India while not being under a central contract automatically gets placed in the D category. In the last period --- October 1, 2007 to September 30 2008 --- a total of 32 cricketers were contracted, with only seven being in the top bracket. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Zaheer Khan were in the A category but it remains to be seen whether they all retain this status. If precedent is anything to go by, Dravid and Ganguly could drop down a level as someone like V.V.S. Laxman, who is not in the selectors' ODI scheme of things, only received a B contract last time around. With Dravid and Ganguly not having played ODIs in almost a year, they might just be downgraded, unless the committee decides to make an exception. Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag, who were both missing from the ODI team for some time, were previously in the B category, but now that they are both sure starters in both forms of the game, they could well expect to be upgraded to the A category. Both Manohar and Srinivasan are known to take a hard line when it comes to players and player power, and the manner in which they award contracts, whenever they choose to do so, will give a clear indication of just how this new dispensation plans to run Indian cricket.

[chanakya]

I think he will be removed from the list completely. If you aren't playing him why of pay him? Pension fund time :D

[Desi Cartman]

Contract C for Ajit Agarkar ... :hmmmm2:

[SachDan]

Contract C for Ajit Agarkar ... :hmmmm2:

:dito:

[amit467]

same here surprised to see Agarkar there

[Chandan]

Contract C for Ajit Agarkar ... :hmmmm2:

:dito:

same here surprised to see Agarkar there

Don't you guys have extemely short memories? Are you surprised to see Agarkar that high ot that low or present there at all? What is the surprise for?

[Guest Hiten.]

Don't you guys have extemely short memories? Are you surprised to see Agarkar that high ot that low or present there at all? What is the surprise for?

I am guessing they're surprised because Agarkar has never been part of the Indian team on regular basis (since the past 2 years, in my distant memory). So handing out the contract to him is surprising.

[Chandan]

I am guessing they're surprised because Agarkar has never been part of the Indian team on regular basis (since the past 2 years' date=' in my distant memory). So handing out the contract to him is surprising.[/quote'] If that is the reason then your memory is short as well. I hope you guys are aware that the central contract is given to the players for one year? At least you all must be knowing this much! Last year the contract was issued in August itself because many people were defecting to ICL and BCCI didn't want any of the serious fringe player to desert it. So it has been 13 months since that contract was issued and you think Agarkar has not played even one match during this period? He was the part on ODI squad to England: http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/engvind/engine/current/match/258475.html http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/engvind/engine/current/match/258476.html And then he was a part of India's T20 squad as well: http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/squad/305846.html And you guys are surprised why he got the contract? Ganguly didn't play for about 15 months, yet he continued getting the money from Central contract.

[Desi Cartman]

Thanks Chandan , I thought he played his last game for India more than 18 more ago .. In fact I couldnt even remember his last game

[Ram]

We're talking about players who are crorepatis. These contracts and the pittance that come along with it mean little to these players. If anything, it has more symbolic importance than monetary significance.

[Sachinism]

Sehwag should get contract A

[chanakya]

Ganguly will not be playing against Australia, He is not even in the training squad.

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Goodbye Ganguly? This week could see the end of an unforgettable era, with Sourav Ganguly “set to quit” international cricket if not selected for the Australia series, reports Kadambari Murali. More... Goodbye Ganguly? Kadambari Murali, Hindustan Times New Delhi, September 30, 2008 First Published: 01:22 IST(30/9/2008) Last Updated: 01:28 IST(30/9/2008) This week could see the end of an unforgettable era, with Sourav Ganguly “set to quit” international cricket if not selected for the Australia series. The team for the first two tests will be chosen on Wednesday. If Ganguly, 112 short of 7,000 Test runs, does retire, he would be the first of India's ‘Fab Five’ — the others being Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman — to call it a day, bringing to a close what has been Indian cricket’s most dramatic chapter. Sources close to the former India skipper told HT Ganguly’s mind was made up. “He said there is no point in trying to make yet another comeback after this,” said the source. “He has nothing to prove to anyone anymore.” Ganguly, who had not spoken to (or been spoken to) by any selector in the recent fortnight since his axing from the Irani Cup squad, was philosophical. “I’ve seen it all, whatever happens, happens,” was his view, the source added. Interestingly, in the two years since South Africa and Ganguly's spectacular return from the wilderness, he has played 21 Tests, making 1667 runs at a very respectable 45.05, which is higher than his Test career average of 41.02. According to the selectors, “everyone who’s played first class cricket” was in line for a Test call up. But Ganguly will probably be battling for a berth alongside the much younger Yuvraj Singh and S. Badrinath. And if the new selectors are looking to begin the process of transition, he is where they will likely start.

[satishg]

unless and until Sourav comes and blurts out from his mouth that he is gonna retire, i wont believe all this sources nonsense..

[hindu-Stan]

ganguly era ends.....

[Texy]

may be ganguly should have played like 50 from 500 balls like dravid the other day to secure his place... this is quite sad actually... one of the best ODI players India has ever produced.... how the hell does he deserve to get dropped after one bad series! This is absolutely ridiculous and pure bias. Dravid is still in the team coz Kumble is the captain and a good buddy of dravid..and same thing goes for Laxman who hasn't done anything spectacular in recent memory... *****hole kumble.. i hope you get hit all over the park by Hussey

[Fontaine]

may be ganguly should have played like 50 from 500 balls like dravid the other day to secure his place... this is quite sad actually... one of the best ODI players India has ever produced.... how the hell does he deserve to get dropped after one bad series! This is absolutely ridiculous and pure bias. Dravid is still in the team coz Kumble is the captain and a good buddy of dravid..and same thing goes for Laxman who hasn't done anything spectacular in recent memory... *****hole kumble.. i hope you get hit all over the park by Hussey

:hysterical: He could never field, didn't bowl like an all rounder, and was a decent/good batsmen, yet somehow he's one fo the best ODI players? :haha::haha:

[Sachinism]

:hysterical: He could never field, didn't bowl like an all rounder, and was a decent/good batsmen, yet somehow he's one fo the best ODI players? :haha::haha:

Like the time when India = Tendulkar, we had a period when Ganguly = India, he was doing all the scoring What annoys me is, they dropped him after being top scorer the year before. So the guy does nothing wrong and he is dropped because he can't field. He scored a lot more runs than he let go in the field, whereas people like Yuvraj have been scoring nothing and saving about 10-15 runs in the field carry on playing

[Fontaine]

Like the time when India = Tendulkar, we had a period when Ganguly = India, he was doing all the scoring What annoys me is, they dropped him after being top scorer the year before. So the guy does nothing wrong and he is dropped because he can't field. He scored a lot more runs than he let go in the field, whereas people like Yuvraj have been scoring nothing and saving about 10-15 runs in the field carry on playing

That's because he's lost his timing. That was his major strength in the past and with age he no longer has the reflexes and muscle coordination needed for that excellent timing. It happens to EVERY athlete that's ever born. I'm sure Ganguly could be included in the team and score 20-30 runs a pop but he's not going to find the fountain of youth so it's best to drop him now and move on.

[Dravid]

That's because he's lost his timing. That was his major strength in the past and with age he no longer has the reflexes and muscle coordination needed for that excellent timing. It happens to EVERY athlete that's ever born. I'm sure Ganguly could be included in the team and score 20-30 runs a pop but he's not going to find the fountain of youth so it's best to drop him now and move on.

y not do same with dravid, kumble, etc?