Has Ganguly resurrected his career? by Partab Ramchand

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Player:

SC Ganguly

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DateLine: 8th January 2007

 

Has Sourav Ganguly effectively silenced his critics and resurrected his career? Suddenly the 34-year-old former Indian captain – and the most successful it must be added – is the subject of much focus. And why not? After all amidst the batting failures in the Test series in South Africa, the left-hander emerged with much credit. A tally of 214 runs – the highest mind you on the Indian side – at an average of 42.80 in a contest marked by modest scores is not something that can be scoffed at. He was the only batsman to rise above his career average – fractionally over 40 when the series began - and he notched up a sixty, an unbeaten fifty and a forty to underline his consistency. Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman all finished way down in the averages so it says something of Ganguly’s ability to finish with the kind of figures he ended up with.

 

So does this mean that he is back at No 6 permanently in the Test match scheme of things? And does this also mean that he can challenge strongly for a place in the one day squad? To his supporters who were always of the view that he never should have been dropped in the first place the answers to both these questions must be in the affirmative. His detractors may still not be convinced that Ganguly is here to stay. After all he did flinch when facing short pitched deliveries or fended them off awkwardly. Clearly he has not yet eradicated this chink in his armour. Also there were edged and miscued strokes and at times he was distinctly lucky to survive.

 

However it must immediately be added that Ganguly proved that determination and commitment and a strong will to succeed can overcome any technical limitations. He must have been under tremendous pressure when going out to bat at Johannesburg. The media attention on him was almost cruelly intense. One mistake by him and his resurrection bid would have been nipped in the bud. But he batted calmly, displayed a cool temperament, played well within himself, treated each ball on merit and was unsparing on the bad ball which he put away with his old flourish, his natural elegance still very much intact. The power element in his batting was also very much prevalent when he hooked and pulled and he had seemingly lost nothing of his ethereal off side strokes. The cut and the drive he played with aplomb and the lofted shot with panache.

 

More than his batting it was his attitude that was encouraging. There were no airs about him. The captaincy and the seniority aspects were behind him. He was just one of the boys goading the bowlers on, giving a bit of timely advice to his partner when batting. He was very much involved with the team as an active member. He was enjoying himself, seemingly at peace with himself. Simply put he was just happy to be back where he always thought he belonged – on the international stage. Not for once had he given up hopes of making a comeback, not for once had he contemplated retirement during the long period in exile.

 

So all this begs several questions. Is Ganguly here to stay or is this just a short term comeback? Also, is he deserving of a place in the one day squad? He last played in an ODI in September 2005 and that now seems a long time. He may be able to stave off the challenge from Suresh Raina and Dinesh Mongia but can he stave off the challenge from Md Kaif and Yuvraj Singh? Or will he regain his place at the top of the order with there being a question mark over Sehwag? How can he be fitted in the Test match scheme of things when Yuvraj returns from injury and with Dinesh Karthik pushing seriously for a place in the middle order?

 

A host of questions have to be answered. Those pertaining to ODIs will be answered in the next few days when the team to play the West Indies is picked. But the suspense over Ganguly continuing in the Test match scheme of things will be known only in June. In the meantime `Dada’ is no doubt enjoying being in the spotlight once again.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 CricketArchive)