The cat is out of the bag. Sourav Ganguly has announced his retirement amidst all the hue and cry surrounding his selection and rumored impending retirement. The suave southpaw has been receiving flak from selectors, critics and fans alike for past sometime in light of his dwindling performance. His recent inclusion in the test squad for the first two matches against Australia buzzed strong rounds of gossip hinting at a barter agreement: Sourav gets to play in the first two matches and then he bows out, lest he is chucked out.

Ganguly’s retirement has multiple implications on a wider angle. Former players are crying hoarse over politics involved in the whole scene, alleging that Ganguly was forced to move out to make space for the younger calves when he still had some years of cricket left in him. Australian Captain Ponting opines that this announcement will not only take away the players’ focus from the game but also pressurize other team members.

Somnath Chatterjee, the honorable Lok Sabha speaker has dubbed this retirement “unfortunate” since this decision has not been made entirely on performance criterion. Nobody’s going to admit it but now it appears certain that BCCI has struck a deal of sorts with the Fab Four (or Fab Five, including Anil Kumble) giving them clear indication to plan and announce their farewell dates. Ganguly’s goodbye will initiate the chain reaction which will leave Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Kumble with no option but to follow.

However, Indian skipper Anil Kumble maintains that the retirement formula exists only in media reports. The decision to retire is solely a player’s own prerogative and the talks of scrutiny and pressure are rubbish since the Indian players always are under stern watch. He wants the media to act responsibly and maintain players’ dignity while discussing such matters. Regarding his own much-talked-about retirement in offing, Kumble curtly replies that he will announce as and when he will decide, putting a full stop on all the murmurs about the VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme).

The players and selectors will reveal the real details only in their autobiographies twenty years later. Till then, we can see for ourselves the choice given to our senior players between ignominious rejection from the team or forced retirement barter plans.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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