It’s becoming a cliche to hate Ganguly and scream for his blood.
I’m not gonna do that.
I truly believe he should continue as captain, at least for another six months.
I also think it’s only fair that India’s most aggressive captain gets a chance to sign off in style, when he’s among runs.
Also, that the next six months will be a true test of character. If he CAN really perform in the next few months, not only will he silence all those people who think they know more than the man in the middle but he will also get himself the platform to exit in style: lead the team for the World Cup and an opportunity to win it.
The pressure on Sourav when he next goes in to bat will be more than that of a No.11 player going in to bat chasing six of the last over of a World Cup final. Because, Sourav will know he’s being watched. He will know he’s being evaluated, he will know that there are critics waiting to jump up in delight screaming: “I told ya” as he walks back to the pavilion. He knows there will be Greg Chappell waiting with a smirk, a VVS Laxman and a Kaif waiting to replace him in the very next season.
If he can handle this kind of pressure and come out of it with his head held high, I think he deserves to stay.
I think it’s only natural for a successful captain to turn complacent. To take his position in the team for granted. Sourav may have been guilty on that front in the last few years. He no longer can do that, and that’s the good news.
I think it’s wonderful that he has not been sacked. I’m also glad that the BCCI has not let the coach down either.
Sack Ganguly and you instantly can see morale of half the team go down, after all he has been backing his set of faithfuls. Sack Chappell and you can see the morale of the other half of the team collapse. The truth is we cannot afford to lose either half. Not the regulars. Not the hopefuls.
So, I really like the idea of putting two people who don’t like each other into a same room and say: “You got no choice, guys. Live with it. Perform or find yourself out. We’ll be watching.”
There are no more secrets. Ganguly knows Chappell thinks he’s a misfit. Chappell knows Ganguly hates him. What more needs to be said? They’ve exchanged it all or will do so in the next few weeks. But soon, they will realise that they REALLY have no choice but to work together. Because, there is a sense of purpose that binds them. That purpose is victory for the team.
As a filmmaker and a scriptwriter, I know that a crisis is a point of transformation. It is the lowest you can hit in the span of a story.
Also, what many people forget while baying for Ganguly’s blood is that statistics and current form alone cannot determine a person’s future in a team. Which is why I think it’s okay to make Ganguly sit out for not being in form but you cannot sack him as captain for good, which is usually what the case is in Indian cricket when someone over 30 sits out.
Because, cricket is a game. Numbers are important but not everything.
But a captain is everything, and not just important.
Sport is played not through statistics, but through raw passion, ungirdled emotion and pure unadulterated spirit. It’s played with aggression, for God’s sake. And Sourav personifies that very essence of sport. Agreed that Dravid is too much of a gentleman cricketer, a diplomat liked by all members of the team. That’s great if you were leading a delegation of managers but not when you want to intimidate your opposition. Not when you want to whip up the adrenaline. Not when you want to override convention. This is where Sourav scores.
Sport is about a team and the interplay of personal relationships in it. The ability to manipulate efforts and emotions of individuals into the objective of the team: Victory. To instil, to bind and create spirit out of interactions and personal relationships. No amount of talent can replace team spirit.
Sourav is an emotional guy. And that’s why he will make a great leader for a sports team. He’s demonstrated this before. He’s one of the few Indian captains who has been successful in putting opposition under pressure with aggressive unconventional field placements. He’s a risk taker. Dravid’s field placements as we’ve seen are way too safe to produce a victory.
It is this emotional quotient that gives sport its character. It is this emotional quotient that will give Sourav the perspective to make amends with coach Chappell. It is this emotional quotient that will help him stage a comeback. And help him resolve the differences in the team. If he still has it intact, that is.
The only way to resolve differences in a team is to resolve the differences between the power centres and not introduce new power centres and give it that much more time for the interplay of characters result in new unpredictable power equations. If the two can resolve their differences and share from each other’s ideologies… Sourav being all heart and Chappell being all mind, between the two of them, they can create a potent lethal team that is sound in both its heart (emotional department run by Ganguly) and head (rational scientific thinking supplied by Chappell).
It is media speculation and analysis that is the prime reason that every one today thinks he’s an authority on the subject. Regular everyday sport conflicts suddenly have come under the microscope. Conflicts have always been around. It does not mean we stick our noses into the dressing room, sitting so far away from it and take sides.
Let them be, they (the captain and the coach) will figure it out. They know the game more than you or me do.
It’s best for Indian cricket that they are made to live together. That’s how Indian marriages have worked over centuries. The in-laws (selectors) are watching. Neither the bride nor the groom can afford to screw-up.
For Sourav, the test of his life begins now. He alone is responsible for his fate from now on. Not you, not me, not Chappell.
MADRAS INK. 
yamma….such a big blog!!! naan appuramaa padikaren!
Nice to see a rare blog on cricket on your site. I, for one, feel you have provided an optimistic viewpoint on this entire episode. I wonder whether this arrangement would fuel more politics. Imagine if India continues to fail. It could easily lead to more politics, finger-pointing, factionlism, et al. The only way this episode can end smoothly is when one of the following happens:
1. India starts winning with Ganguly leading from the front
2. India manages to win with Ganguly failing repeatedly.
Aiyyaa,, you miss important point. Bugger hasn’t performed with the bat or the ball (now now, we are not talking bowling, but rather, fielding itself).. We all can agree that he is in the team for his ability to unite the team and manage the egos. Clearly, Saurav hasn created a rift in the team with his actions. this is a case of putting self before team – something a captain would never dream of doing. I don’t suggest that Ganguly end his career. let him take a sabbatical. He can improve his game if he plays domestic cricket and we all would love to see the flourishing cover drives and booming sixes. Right now, I think I can bat better than Saurav.. true that he alone is responsible for his fate, but it would help if he plays 6 months or so of domestic cricket and then come back a confident man and a leader.. what say?
It is just not about “captain taking his position for granted”. Link
Even after watching Iqbal, if you feel we must wait for someone to perfom (someone who has political and power backing), and not give a chance to those who are already performing, I must say your optimism/bias for Ganguly and “walking on the rope” tactics should be making you say what you did. As far as the winning is concerned, I am sure if players like Tendulkar,Dravid, Sehwag play under ur captaincy you could also be most winning captain. 🙂
As far as favouritism and politics play role in selection of players, unlike in other good cricket playing nations, we will suffer from Ganguly-isms.
-Kiran
Hey Sudhish,
I think you should just limit yourself to movies, don’t get into cricket, not your cup of Cofee! The comment sucks, baseless, statsless, tasteless commentary.
I agree with Sriram above… that “bugger” hasn’t batted, fielded, bowled well. We all know Saurav is emotional, but he shouldn’t be getting too emotional and putting his team at stake. And, he should never tell things to middle order batsmen that his coach never said(w/ref to Chappel email). More importantly, he should never wail like a baby before the press, which is what he did. Agreed, Ganguly is a great captain; he was the one who built Team India but its time he put down captaincy and improve his batting by playing in Ranji, etc. Srinivas.
Well emotional quotient and what not is important…but as a player he needs to perform! Choose the best XI and then pick the captain..sourav doesnt fit in to the frame…its dumb to be emotional…if you dont perform you are out mate…it is as simple as that whether u r a captain or a tendulkar or a raina! But sadly that has never been the case in Indian cricket…unless that change we can never dominate cricket…we may perform for one season but may go flat out the very next…it is dumb to leave kaif out and put ganguly considering their respective forms and ganguly has been given lotsaa chances…but if he proves himself in the next 12 ODI’s as u said he might well stay…but he has been given too many chances!
P.S. And if you had watched the game closely dravid will not keep defensive field unless the opposition is on rampage! He always attacks the new batsman in!
for my take on G v C,
http://www.livejournal.com/users/hamdamn
Dey Sudhish,
After reading your blog, I felt like I was watching lagaan’s last moment. Come back to reality machaan. Finally something good is happening, that chapell spoke his mind to ganguly. the one thing indian team has to learn is from the teams like australia and SA.
If emotions alone works then what is the need for hard work, technique and performance.
aravind:
totally agree. let time decide, and not armchair critics!
sriram:
go back and read the story. it does not take his side for not performing. in fact ive suggested i think he shd sit out but unfortunately Indian cricket does not work like Australian cricket. The minute u sit out after u r over 30, u can consider it end of ur career… which is why i think he deserves a better end.
kiran:
my arguments for ganguly are only as him as a leader who enjoys the support of half the team.
also, ganguly, dravid and tendulkar played for azhar too… did that make him india’s most successful captain? there has never been doubt about india’s talent… its just that they dont click on the same day… thats why the role of a captain is important and under-rated. i suggest u read my story again.
anonymous:
i recommend u limit ur reading to the same and dont show me ur face.. wat do u know? u dont even know ur name, u’re just an anonymous son of anonymous fathers!
rim:
have you been in the national cricket team before? can u safely say that things like this have not happened before? i can safely state that such selection issues and ego hassles are routine and part and parcel of the game. when there are 16 people who are talented and they believe stronly that they deserve to be in the 11. just becuz this issue has become transparent, every single person who can read a newspaper considers himself to be a critic.
prasanna:
if u take emotion out, it is not sport. this is not chess buddy, this is cricket we are talking about! i want to see passion, agression, intimidation and an explosion of emotions… a victory in sport is a triumph of spirit… not mere numbers!
china:
im not underrating value of hardwork, technique and performance. i’m just saying that sitting back watching TV and getting excited everytime there is a flare up, dont pretend like cricket is not about emotion.
it hundred per cent fucking is! ganguly’s team india has done that with its agression… a trait we’ve been lacking for ever. finding an aggressive leader is much tougher than finding a player… we have enuff of them. im not saying ganguly deserves to stay if he does not perform. i said its good that he’s being put to test… he hasnt been tested before, he was getting complacent. if he can handle this pressure, all these critics will have to shut the fuck up… if he cannot, he’s responsible for his own doom. my whole blog was to say give India’s most successful captain a chance to sign off in style.
and lets face it, we need an old experienced hand for the world cup. someone who’s done that before with that definitive trait of cricket: aggression and passion. and lets not take victories against zimbabwe and the so called goliath teams for granted for we’ve seen what these goliath teams have done to world beaters in the world cup.
the problem is that ganguly had become complacent. now that we put him under test, we will know if he still has the talent to perform. if not, who are you tell him to step down, the selectors will do that anyway, especially now that his performances will come under a microscope.
Sudish,
I disagree completely but respect your views. However, you haven’t addressed a very important point in this whole crisis. The Dada-Dalmiya nexus which is an established fact. How exactly did the email leak? Among chappel and Ganguly, who benefitted from the leak? If one of them is right, it follows logically that the other is wrong. In that sense, this compromise seems to be baffling [though what you said about the morale suffering might be true, its just a necessary birth pang]. Yes, numbers aren’t everything but apart from numbers you have physical and mental fitness, motivating the team, instilling a sense of unity in the team, leading by example etc in every single aspect of which Ganguly fails miserably. Nobody can deny his success in the past but its now time to move on. According to the team physio, if Chappel were to be believed, Ganguly doesn’t pass these tests, when it comes to running between the wickets and fielding.
Maybe like you said he’s on trial now but the way a lot of us see it (even at the risk of thinking wishfully) , justice will be served if he underperforms his way out of the side. Others haven’t been so lucky and there’s no reason why he alone should.
bala (karthik):
like i said, he had reason to be complacent cuz he was king, he probably took his place for granted. thats not the case anymore. so i see the BCCI verdict as a positive sign for cricket. there is no way he can continue with poor performance after yesterday… like i said imagine the pressure tomorrow when he goes out to bat… if he can handle that, i think he can bring india the world cup! and i think he deserves that chance for being our most successful, aggressive sportsperson and leader!
if he doesnt pass this test, it is for the good of Indian cricket… at least his factions within the team will know he got a fair trial and wasnt kicked out after a series win and a century!
I would say your Bad at it.. but only time will tell..
As far as Ganguly is concerne just leave that poor chap alone!
nanyaar?
no, u brilliant genious, im gonna shoot him rite away! 😛
I accept agression, passion and attitude everything damn thing is needed…i admire ganguly for this but ‘cos of these things he has been in team for long without ur so not required “stats”. There comes a point in any sport regardless how you are performance counts…we dont want a member in the team just for his emotional quotient…we want a member in the team who can perform…if has a gr8 EQ…gr8! Otherwise it doesnt make sense!
prasanna:
i think he can perform. however, he has not been performing to his potential off late probably cuz he had become complacent. thats not the case anymore. so he has to perform or find himself out.
Yea i feel he has been forced in that situation ‘cos of all the media fiasco! Wonder what wud have happened if this hasnt happened! Anyways why worry what wud have or didnt happen! Hokay, Ganguly its now or never! Do or Die! Make or Break! fuck or suck!
>>my arguments for ganguly are only as >>him as a leader who enjoys the support >>of half the team.
Thats again because of the power/politics play! Two wrongs make a right ?
>> which is why i think he deserves a >>better end.
So we wait till he kicks himself out which is not going to happen ?? Lets say half the team deserve better end, when do others get a chance because many dont think they can end their career and they keep playing, even though they dont perform well.
Indian cricket team is not someone’s property that he takes his place for granted and resort to all kinds of cheap and petty politics (if Chappel’s e-mail is the truth). Should not the guilty be punished ? Its the right time to get started for next world cup with a fresh perspective and a new captain!
I am not debating against you and I completely respect your views. I just can’t agree with you. Hope I didnt offend you, if I did I am sorry.
-Kiran
these are the current searches for searching a string in google
“How to ganguly out”
1.Even a kid knows how to get Ganguly out, anything on or around his ribs will result into a lollipop catch.
2.I believe it was first discovered by Shohaib Akhtar atleast a year ago, Ganguly hasn’t done much about it since then.
3.He is repeatedly doing same mistake and every one is familier about how to get him out.
4.Even my 6 yrs old son know that, keep 3 slips and 1 gully and bowl outside the offstumps,and you can get ganguly OUT.
If the internet users and cricket watchers know so much, why wouldn’t the teams that are playing against us.
I agree that he scored a century against Australia in Nov 2003.
Performance and performance under pressure are 2 different things.
Performance – over a long period of time you play consistently – Ganguly does seem to have this trait, he has not scored for years.
suddenly he scores a century, as a captain you need to get into 2 digits often to tell other players.
not just get 3 digits once in a year.
this was last world cup
*SC Ganguly 9 – against australia
24 against zimbabwe
next was against namibia, poor guys
when tendulkar socres 152 ganguly scores 112 where as the nammbians were all out for 130. Of course its a great performance for ganguly, to improve his batting average by not getting out for 112 against the poor nambians( the match is counted for batting average) who is gonna know later on how I got such figures.
then comes england what do you do if you are consistent you score a 50 or something like tendulakar or dravid but no, now ganguly gets out at 19.
where does the emotion and pressure go when you are playing the next best rivals pakistan.
your emotions score a DUCK.
wait did you bowl well then, no let me pass off with 3 overs and 14 runs and no wickets.
Yo, I am into super six now. my team won. I am the captain so I can take the credit.
Now its the kenyans let me do it again, not out at 107 for 196 balls.( hey my batting avg has improved too)
next come the lankans at the whorst form, dada scores decent 48 here. lankans all out for 109.
next the kiwis dada 3 and out.
hey we are into semis.
who are we playing against now?
Kenya again? time to improve my batting avg. 111 not out.
Hey we are into finals. 1983 now 2003. we are top form. who are we playing, Australia. It gives me shivers, I wont bowl, I wont field.
I will try out 8 bowlers, but I wont bowl. I dont want to take the beating when they critcize that too. Where is my emotion, yeah I have one emotion on my face – fear.
australia score 359. Tendulkar gets out at 4. I am reminded of a song when ganguly is playing – This is the end, my only friend the end. ( I like the song very much – its by doors – jim morrison )
anyway it was last world cup.
who cares, we can give the bat to dada once more and wait for a fiasco. expect lagaan. Expect that the rain would cancel the match.
emotional.
china:
machchi super.
adutha world cup u must be made selector and commentator ma! brilliant! 🙂
cant agree more with you sudish.
i am not a bong to support gangs all the time, but need to give some more time for gangs. he is not just another indian player as this is his team (i agree wright played a significant role in shaping this current team).
i really hope he scores runs (lots of them) and silences his detractors and leaves the team on a high – am with dada !
Super write-up man!
Haven’t read such a good analysis even in cricinfo.com!
Great dude!
hey suderman… nice to see sports in the suderman show… u knw wut unfortunately cricket unlike tennis cannot hv a non playing captain… the pros that u see in ganguly is fair enough but that does not warrant him a place in the team vying for top honors (wut say dada hero in yer nxt movie? ;D)…. u knw i cant keep count of the jokes on prince of kolkatta these days(@china can u help out w tht)…mebbe start an exclusive website for the same with new content on a daily basis for an entire year….(naah tht s a short span)
When da Red Devilz (Man Utd) ask for Fergies’ head… gangulys’grave must ve its grass cut by now
But in al a gr8 Bollywood ishtyle post nice reading!!
cheers
it wont be chappell but chappal if ganguly doesnt step down.it’s gonna happen in the entire country except bengal.
Ganesh and Sanchapanzo:
Im not a ganguly fan exactly. I just wrote this piece for the sake of bringing balance (which was the original tagline of the blog before I changed the look). I hate it when people gang up against one person and try to drown another point of view. This post was just an exercise in presenting the view of a minority, however minor it maybe. Glad you liked it.
Vivek:
Neat blog. Say Hi to K! 😉
Sheks:
There you go… yet another emotional cricket fanatic. Next you are gonna ask for voting rights in selecting the Indian cricket team… ha ha!
sriraam:
what i wud really really love to see is ganguly hit back to form and let you guys eat your words and maybe your shoes too with the feet still in ur mouth! 🙂
Like i said, im not a ganguly fan, I just thot his case needs to be heard!
@suderman
i wish the same… but he has been given too many chances in the last 2 years… this issue s not a shock to anyone of us… it had been swept under the carpet all these while… but chappel has been a brave man!
I strictly disagree with people saying that Ganguly has been out-of-form of late! Infact he is
in his usual normal form! If at all, all of a sudden, he happens to score some 40 to 50 consistently
in 2 or 3 matches, only then he should be considered out-of-form!!
And, Ganguly complaining to the media about him being asked by Greg to step down reminds of the typical
kindergarden kid’s complaint: “Miss, miss this boy has stolen my pencil miss”!!!
what was he trying to say? “See how sweet I am? Ain’t I lookin’ innocent? Somebody please help me!”
He should have been removed long, long ago! Take for ex. the Ind-Pak series held early this year!
In the deciding final test at Bangalore, Sehwag literally smashed the Pakistanis with a double century
in his first innings and also some brisk scoring in the second too! He was on his top form then! But
what abt ‘Dada’? Ok! Accepted. He was out-of-form! Can’t a out-of-form batsman score atleast a
double digit score in a match. Even Balaji had better average in that whole series than that of Ganguly!!
when he knew that he is not going to score even as many runs as the no. of fielders around him when
part-time spinners were bowling, why didn’t he opt out, as a responsible leader! Becoz he knew that
he is in the team just for being captain! If he opts out then he NEVER EVER can return to the team!
Batting, bowling or fielding – Ganguly totally SUCKS!!!
as far as cricket is concerned, everyone seems to know more than the Indian captain and the selectors and the commentators! 🙂 and i wish half this emotion in lashing out against ganguly comes against fighting the fuckups in the system!
i guess it just tells us what we’ve been watching more closely.
Finally an article-a blog about what I have been shouting myself hoarse to all those who will discuss the same and are willing to just have a debate-not fight on. Agreed Ganguly is at his worst form of his career, but set him time and tell him to perform of get out. Either perform well by this time, else proceed, not make his stand on a series by series basis. Maybe like u said 6months… or whatever time period. Allow him to sign off in the manner he deserves to, dont kick him unceremoniously. After all, his contributions to Indian cricket however long ago, simply cannot be ignored. Remember the match fixing scandal, and how the Indian cricket was supposed to be at its nadir… can ppl refresh who stepped in to lead the side?? The series that followed the scandal, (ICC knockout-remember), India were given near nil chance. That was against aussie…(i am not citing one off incident, I am just trying to refresh ppl that there has been high points in Indian cricket with him at the helm)..it wasnt altogether bad performance in that series….
All I am telling and telling like Sudhish said, is give him time limit to perform, if he does well and good for Indian cricket cos u have a emotional leader who leads with heart on field and a tactical shrewd brain who leads from the dressing room. A potent combo this. If he does not perform, he can walk away into his evening.
Awesome blog Sudhish!!!!! Kudos!!