This piece is on the former Cricket Captain of India, Sourav Ganguly..

The Sourav Episode

Khelar raja cricket, rajar khela cricket (Beng.) ..  .. Cricket is the king of  games and the game of the kings....

When my paycheck for research jobs was going down in the USA, ostensebly due to the competition from mediocre Indian techies apparently with the supported by the US Democrats of Indian origin, I came to know of sourav Ganguly as a rising star in Indian cricket. Ganguly and Dravid  found a stable niche in the Indian team --- Ganguly became the Captain and the Dada.  And Dravid scored 8000 runs in the Test  cricket. Both remained as they are due to the real Master, Tendulkar.

Tendulkar always fascinated me, his body- and foot- work impressses me everytime I watch him on the TV.  A mumbaikar as a worthy successor to Gavaskar is no surprise; but how about a Kolkatan who sprang from a family that cannoy boast of neither the likes of Gavaskar, nor the Nawab Pataudi. When young, we only talked of Gopal Bose and pankaj Ray.  We were told Kolkatan Gopal Bose could not get a spot because of  Mumbaikar Gavaskar; ironically Gavaskar's son, Rohan, became regular in Kolkata but cannot get a spot in the Indian team because of  the Prince of Kolkata.

Tendulkar and ganguly partnership, as i followed for quite sometime, impressed me. eventually Ganguly asserted as the Captain, a batsman with distinguished accomplishment in Test and one-day International cricket, and became to be judged the most succesful indian cricket captain. Through ups-and-downs, suspensions and garnishment of  match fees, and the media controversies, Ganguly apparently bids farewell to the Indian team sooner than anticipated.

There are no Jyoti Basus in cricket --- players come and go. some play longer than others, and captains retain their power for several years.  Azhar's fate was not so splendid with the law enforcement officials, and Tendulkar-Ganguly pops up among the Kolkata fans at times .  I remember reading, in the Bengali press, instances of cricket fans garlanding Tendulkar and Sourav's effigy with sandals, several years ago. Some other cricket fans, apparently unhappy with the unceremonius exit of the former Captain, are disrupting normal civic life in Kolkata now. Kolkatans express sentiments, hope and despair thus.

As I go through Sorav's impressive personal data sheet, I do not know what personal imlestone he could possibly achieve in the short-term now -- except that playing for the team few more seasons. Proverbial Tendulkar is also likely to face the same dilemma soon. Irfan Pathan may replace Ganguly as a batsman-all-rounder, but I am sure if he could possibly become a captain. Dravid met with early success, though Dravidians in Chennai disappointed him, and Gujrati's in Ahmedabad called him back from Kanpur.

What is at stake? Sourav would loose his match fees (his predecessors in the 70's did not get much) after his exit; his statistical averages may or may not improve even if he stays. Captaincy record already is outstanding.

Who are the people concerned? The selection committee voted for his exit. Some of the professionals in the cricket world  want him to continue --- they expect 'normal retirement', not a banishment amidst controversy. However Bengali politicians, both left- and nono-left- , found an issue in the controversy (i did not know that the leftists watch Test cricket, in addition to the favourite soccer!). Gone are the rhetorics of politicising the masses and the institutions for braoder social good!

What can Sourav do? Sooner or later he would retire in a normal way. He should be pleased that he continued so long in the lime-light --- and did not become another Gopal Bose. He should be amused to learn that a person of my profession followed his career! And with the support he received from Pranab and priya, in addition to CM Buddhadeb and MP Karat, he can surely plan to become an MP from Kolkata. He should also claim a bigger pay than Mr. Chandan Basu 9the illustrious son of legendary father) and can become Director in a number of companies in Kolkata. This would keep him busy along with the other commitments he had in business and the cricket Academy. of course he should continue with first class cricket.

There are no Jyoti Basu's in cricket! Is it a farewell for Sourav now? May be. Would it be a farewell ever? Of course.

SG,
Bangalore,
Dec. 16, 2005.