Sourav Ganguly’s decision to retire from international cricket has tipped many cyclones in the Indian cricket world. One direct consequence of his announcement is the immediate pressure that has built on the remaining four senior players: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble . The grapevine has been suggesting BCCI plans of gradually giving the pension to the senior players. With his resignation, Ganguly has initiated the process that will now see the big guns of Indian cricket saying goodbye to the international scene.

Ganguly appeared out to settle all the scores against him in an interview which he gave to a local daily. He lashed out about practically everything about cricket, ranging from the partial attitude of selectors to Greg Chappell’s animosity for him, from being the lone target of ruthless criticism to being replaced by Toms, Dicks and Harries. It is no secret that former selector Kiran More had non-cricketing differences with Ganguly and he was often kept out of team even when in form.

The coming of Greg Chappell as the Indian coach saw Ganguly’s career going to the dogs. Not only was he stripped off his skipper’s post but also made to sit out of the game for nearly two years. Watching the Prince of Kolkata toil and sweat in petty domestic matches to claim his place back into the national team was a moment of shame for all his fans, if not for the entire cricket fraternity.

Ganguly’s departure is a very sad development for Indian cricket, not in terms of loss the team will face in absence of the seasoned veteran. Every player has to sign off one day and Ganguly’s time had to come too, sooner or later. The point to lament is the way in which this shining star of Indian cricket has been extinguished by every reason but cricket. Ganguly has always been the firebrand, the trendsetter and a man of his own rules. On his way of transforming the Indian team into Team India, he earned the ire of many with whom his revolutionary ways did not go well.

The most successful captain and left-handed batsman for India has finally bid adieu to the game to which he gave so much but did not receive even respect in return. Cricket360 salutes the spirit of this man who never said die, and finally burnt out instead of fading away.

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

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