It's Dada Again!!!

It was a shocker!!! Not only for Saurav Ganguly, the former Indian Skipper, but for all the cricket fans of India too. The ODI team for tri-nation tournament in Australia has been announced on last Sunday. Senior players, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Karthik have been dropped. Selectors have come up with a team of young blood. Interestingly this has happened just a day after, India’s historic Perth win. It was so shocking to hear that Ganguly has been dropped. He made a strong come back to the Indian Cricket, after he dropped in 2005. He has performed extremely well in both the form of the cricket and scored more than thousand runs in both the versions as well. If you look into his last one year’s performance, he was very consistent and performed with a very good average. It was a surprising decision to drop him, where Dravid’s omission was expected.

Saurav Ganguly has scored more that 1200 runs in 32 matches with an average of 44.83 in 2007. He was the only one consistent player for India in last year. He has performed well both in home and away matches. His contributions to the Indian team’s victories were so crucial. After his come back, he has put up 6 hundred opening partnership with Sachin. Those innings were assured the Indian victory. He just didn’t make a come back, but he has proved that he still has place in the international cricket. He has been dropped from the team, when his form was so poor. But he didn’t lose the battle. He went back to domestic cricket, spent time in the nets, corrected the mistakes in his batting and knocked the doors of selection committee saying that I am ready for the battle. Though he was ignored in the beginning, his consistent performance pushed selectors to pick him for the test squad for South Africa. He had utilized that opportunity and started delivering for the team. He was such a competitor that, selectors couldn’t drop him from the side.

Now he has been dropped from the team saying that, Indian team needs young blood. They are questioning Ganguly’s fitness. They claim that ODI needs much more fitness. But they have selected some players, who don’t even have the fitness as that of Ganguly. For example, Sehwag. Also Sehwag’s last year’s ODI record is not that great. Everyone knew that he is a great opener and once he starts get going, he will go on to make big scores. But he hasn’t performed well in both International and domestic cricket. Also, players like Yuvraj and Dhoni, can’t perform in conditions like Australia. The selectors are urging for a younger side. But they are closing the eyes against Mohd. Kaif. He has been performing in the domestic cricket for quite a long time. They haven’t considered him. He bats well as well as save runs too. But they are not seeing his performance. This is another double standard from selectors. Also selectors have picked up quite an inexperienced line up. Only one senior player in the team is Sachin. It will be difficult for India to survive in Aussies soil. It’s nice to hear that Indian selectors are keen on the youngsters. But when we play against Aussies in their soil, it’s the experience does matter more than the young blood in the side. We can experiment with the youngsters, when we play a home series. But it’s a huge risk that selectors have taken. Moreover, a recent report suggests that it was Dhoni who opted out Ganguly from the team. The reason was quite interesting that, he is finding bit difficult to manage too many former skippers in the team. That itself suggests that Dhoni is a good captain. When we have a crucial test to be played in Adelaide, this team announcement will definitely hit the morale of the Indian team.

We all knew what the caliber of our former skipper is. We knew how he has come back after everyone one predicted that his career was over. I think, he will come back as a phoenix. All the best dada!!!