In the light of new events, it is easy to criticise Saurav Ganguly, alias Dada, for his poor performances. His rift with Greg Chappell brought to the limelight a glaring disagreement between captain and coach, and ever since, he’s not been able to consistently keep his spot in the Indian team sealed. Some have accused Saurav of bad form, others of horrible captaincy, others of being unable to handle the pressure, and still others of sheer irresponsibility and lack of aptitude.
One simply, yet ironic question pops into my mind at this stage. Years back, perhaps some five years down the road, there was a cricket interview, about which, I’m sorry to say, I don’t remember any particulars. Anyway, to tell you the point, a chap on one of these interviews was thoroughly criticizing Sachin Tendulkar, when the journalist suddenly leans forward and asks him, “So? How many centuries did you score? leaving both the studio as well as the chap in question stunned.
Although I recall this incident, I do not wish you to ask yourself this question. It is an extremely immature question, at least from my perspective. Not too many people have scored 35 test and 38 ODI centuries. If they had, then Sachin Tendulkar wouldn’t be a big deal. And Sachin Tendulkar is a great deal. Similarly, if everyone, like Dada were to be described as King of the Offside or The Bengal Tiger or The Most Successful Captain of India, then Saurav Ganguly wouldn’t be a big deal. Again, Saurav Ganguly is a great deal.
Indian fans come complete with their enthusiasm for the game, the hours that they are willing to spend devoted to their television sets or standing in line to enter a stadium, with in-depth and accurate knowledge of cricket, as well as a rare patriotic ferocity that couples their interest in cricket are gems in the cricket world. They are, although numerous, so precious, that they should possess the right to comment, lift on pedestals, or quash their own players.
However, they should also, in order to reach this judgement, be able to tell what went on that one fine day between Dada and Chappell. They should also know why that dirty linen was washed outside and pressed and given to the media. They should also be aware that BCCI election campaigns were running full-force at that moment, and not all people in the BCCI liked Saurav Ganguly.
All I’m trying to get at here is that there are more factors that meet the eye regarding the selection of Dada. And although Indian fans can make a lot of claims about a player’s abilities to play or not to play, they can not accurately judge the impact of political factors that have influenced a player’s career. In this case, the unfortunate man to suffer was Dada.
Alright, now that I’ve established that people, common people, you and I, cricket fans, no more, no less, have no idea what went on inside that dressing room that day, would you please stop blaming Dada’s inability to keep peace within BCCI and with Coach Chappell? I am quite sure that no one quite knows exactly what happened, so please don’t make too many false assumptions.
Now onto Dada’s playing record. In tests, a total of 5221 runs, at an average of 40.78, with 12 centuries, and 25 half-centuries. In ODIs, a total of 10123 runs, at an average of 40.65, with 22 hundreds and 60 fifties. Firstly, congratulate the man on a tremendous record.
Next, consider his form for the past two years. No, he hasn’t been in the best of forms. He’s been tormented by beamers, and his hook shot has is no less than atrocious at times. Come on, say it, he should be dropped.
I agree. He should be dropped. Only if his drop is coupled with that of Sachin Tendulkar’s though. Sachin, if you’ll notice, hasn’t done too well at all. In fact, in the recent Indian series I would say he’s done worse than a lot of other players. In contrast, Dada seemed to me to spot the ball and protect his wicket for vital innings. Although India went to lose the third test match by a massive 341 run margin, after Yuvraj Singh, Ganguly was probably the best Indian batsman. And it was during this third test, that he wasn’t selected for the ODIs upcoming against Pakistan.
Something doesn’t seem quite right. If people are criticizing the Indian board for lack of guts to drop a player with a big name, when South Africa dropped Allan Donald and Australia dropped Steve Waugh, then shouldn’t India be dropping the man who performed the worst? Shouldn’t the squad include the best and most effective team? Shouldn’t Saurav Ganguly be included, and Sachin Tendulkar dropped?
India will never drop Sachin Tendulkar, because India has owed too much to the man. India has forgotten in a split second it seems what it owes to Saurav Ganguly. The creation of this modern Indian unit, which can present any side with fierce competition, rearing of new faces like Mohammed Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Path, who’ll spearhead Indian cricket after a few short years. Today, because Saurav Ganguly is not a dear favourite of Chappell’s and Sharad Pawar’s, he’s being pushed around and made the scapegoat. And the Indian team is paying heavily for it through its performance, as seen in the second innings of the last test. An abysmally chosen squad and the players’ concentrations snap, giving Pakistan a leeway into the Indian attack. Pakistan, being more than an able side takes advantage, and down go India.
If it’s not possible to appreciate my perspective that dirty politics is dragging down one of our more effective players, then perhaps, as a cricket lover, you would agree with me that every successful player, with a magnitude like Dada or Sachin should get the chance to say goodbye in the fashion he wants. If Sachin is allowed to play till the 2007 World Cup, why would you begrudge it to Ganguly? And if you have to play straight and become Australia, then drop the player that’s worse off. Whichever game plan in chosen, Saurav Ganguly, after his performance against Pakistan in Pakistan, when India was in trouble has earned (notice, I didn’t use deserve or has the right to) a place in the Indian ODI side.
