Ganguly thinks he is still good for international cricket

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 2:02 am

Sourav Ganguly might have walked into the sunset of his cricketing career, but the former India captain today (February 2) said he is still good enough to play both forms of the game at the international level for at least a year.

Asked if he is still good enough for international cricket at 36 years of age, Ganguly replied, “Two-hundred percent.”

“I think I am still good enough for both forms of cricket. I played my best in my last years. If I had played, I could have easily continued for at least one or one-and-half years more.”

“But that’s not possible now, though. One has to accept the fact that retirement was part and parcel of a sportsperson’s life,” Ganguly said.

“I have Indian Premier League to look forward to. But turning out in the IPL could not be compared to playing for India,” he added.

Ganguly was speaking at a function to release ‘Dada Tantra’, a book based on him and authored by sports journalist Goutam Bhattacharya.

“You have to see life as a bigger picture. Cricket is just a part of it. Time is the biggest factor and in due course I am sure people will forget the professional part of me,” Ganguly said.

The left-handed batsman, who had an infamous spat with the then India coach Greg Chappell which led to his exclusion from the team in 2005, said the Aussie’s contribution in his ouster was very little.

Ganguly said Bengal had better talent than him but it was the mental management that had taken him places.

“When you reach a level, talent-wise most players are almost on par. But it’s the mental management that takes you up. One must not set long term goals but take one step at a time,” he said.

He said cricketers from the eastern region who made it to the Indian team were not taken too seriously in the dressing room until his performance changed the perception.

“A feeling existed in the dressing room, though terming it as ‘ragging’ would be harsh. It was, perhaps, because nobody after Pankaj Roy had made a mark in international cricket from this part of India. But my back to back hundreds in England changed the notion somewhat.”

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Ganguly thinks he is still good for international cricket

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