Sourav Ganguly - Whither Indian Cricket?

A long time has passed since my last post but more on that later. First I want to unload something that has been eating my head for the past 24 hours.

The recent Ganguly episode in my opinion marks the beginning of the end for Indian cricket. More now than even during the match fixing crises days. The rationale of the Ganguly brigade for bringing him back was that he was experienced, got more ODI runs save Tendulkar and was an asset to the team.

By the same criteria, Anil Kumble should be playing in ODI's too. He has got more ODI wickets than any other Indian, 329 to be precise from 264 matches and that is experience. And by all accounts his bowling hasnt gone down but on the contrary, the man is in the best form of his life. Pray tell me why should the same Ganguly logic not apply to Anil Kumble? Maybe they should've had a left Govt in Karnataka. Imagine Lalu pushing for someone from Bihar to be included in the team. The day is not far off as Lalu is already President of the Bihar Cricket Association.

Ganguly, no doubt should be given a chance to get back to the team but by the sheer weight of performance. ie His performance on the field and not his supporters off the field. He should've been scoring tons of runs in the domestic circuit to press his case. And its not like he is a man who can't do it. It happened to him at the beginning of his career and he did comeback on the sheer weight of his domestic performances. But the Ganguly of now seems content to ride the weight of his political backers. And they have not done themselves any credit with the pathetic way they treated the Indian team in Kolkata.

Sourav Ganguly made his reputation as a Tiger who didn't have to hide behind someone else but as someone was never afraid of confrontation. But his "comeback" is as a man who needed all other persuasions but the performance of his bat to merit a recall.

The irony of this entire show is that now the stage is set. He has made a comeback. How he did it is history. If he fails in Pakistan, then he is as good as history. Because there are a lot of powers that be who have a little less patience for him.