Critics of Ganguly are a bunch of frustrated individuals who strongly believed that whatever good can happen only to their part of India. That any person from the Eastern states can play so consistently and lead India so nicely or can speak so confidently before the international media was beyond their imagination. They have a gut feeling that only they are the world. It is time for you idiots to admit your mistakes and salute the parting genius. Just think that India is a vast country and there is abundance of talent everywhere. Only your region can play better cricket or produce genius is an utter misconceptaion. Give the chance to all regions and see how talents can pour in and change the complexion of the game. Yes smartnes or talent or intelligence is not the property of your clan or your locality only.
Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 19, 2008 02:18 PM
That's a pretty strong comment that all critics of ganguly are necessarily partisan or parochial. Ganguly is a fine player and will go down as India's legends. Some may argue India's finest captain, and that may be true since he hasn't had much competition in that department. It is generally accepted that he was a great motivator even if an ordinary tactician. His captaincy saw the blossoming of Dravid's, VVS's and Sehwag's careers which have been responsible in no small measure to India's success overseas.
That said, Ganguly is an average test batsman. An excellent ODI batsman, perhaps right up there with SRT, but the worst of the top order as far as test batsmanship went. He deserved to be dropped when he was, given his poor form back then. He made a fine comeback, and is doing well, but lets not get carried away. His poor fielding meant he was not meant for the one day game anymore and India has to blood youngsters slowly before Dravid and Tendulkar retire. Dravid and Tendulkar are around on the strength of their resumes, but their resumes are far more impressive than Ganguly's, you'll have to admit. India has to look to the future, and that means the lesser batsmen of the fab 4 will have to leave - a youngster stands to gain far more from Dravid and SRT on test cricket than Ganguly or Laxman. The least of the fab 4 is, unfortunately, Ganguly. I suspect, unless Dravid loses form utterly, Laxman will be elbowed out next. (continued)
Re: Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 19, 2008 02:28 PM
What has gone wrong for India is the youngsters... Yuvraj is nothing but a flat track bully... pathetic against good spinners on turning tracks, poor against good fast bowling on bowler friendly tracks. Kaif has lost his way, and that means that 3-4 yrs of grooming these people in tests has gone down the drain. Sehwag is the only new batsman from around that time who has cemented his place in the side. We'll need to wait and see how gambhir does in the future. Rohit sharma is untried and so is Badrinath. As such, India has to make way for these people to get some experience batting with India's best ever test batsmen. That means Ganguly has to go, even if he is doing well. It's a cold, hard decision but even current form will not change that. The fab 4 are of the same age, and if all 4 retire together, you'll have an inexperienced middle order.
Like I said, Dravid and SRT survive based on their resume (actually both did well in this match but got out stupidly). Plus #3 is a specialist position (almost an opening bat) and we don't have someone to take up that role yet, esp on seaming pitches. Ganguly leaves precisely because of his resume. It's tough, but such is life. Ganguly's best case is to leave on a high note, which is exactly what he is doing. Well played, and he will be missed. But, life must go on...
Re: Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 19, 2008 02:47 PM
Well, at least I have an education... Your language skills clearly show you lack one... but enough of the ad hominem...
Ganguly 'retired' because he would have to leave anyway. This is the honourable way out. I answered your question... Poor batting form while captaining is unacceptable. You have to earn your place in the side as a player before you do it as a captain. Towards the end of his reign, he was the non-playing captain in the side. Yuvraj and/or Kaif had to sit out to accomodate him and they would've done at least as well, and probably better than him.
Ganguly has the worst average of all the permanent batsmen (SCG,SRT,RSD, VVS, Sehwag). Form temporary, class permanent and all that. If you could not do much in 12 yrs, you are not going to do it at the end. The weakest in the herd gets killed to make way for the new... Ganguly is it. As much as Bengalis think it to be injustice, they have to know it is true. Add to it his poor fielding (not even a good slipper, unlike VVS or Dravid), his utility to the team is very very low. Any sane person making a choice would pick SCG to kick out first. He will be missed, but not terribly... You can't say that about RSD, SRT or VVS... Not as easily anyway.
Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Shari on Oct 19, 2008 03:15 PM
Such lengthy crap....
Damn, success of any game depends on the enjoyment it offers to the audience like us. Dravid Draws can never be compared with Ganguly's Wins. A Winner he is, Starting with vengeance on SriLanka for 1996 Kolkatta debacle at 1999 World Cup, 2001 Aussie dismantle, 2003 Natwest pride and then High intensity Pak Series. He taught Indian cricket dealing Fire with Fire. Hats off to the Royal Bengal Tiger
Re: Critics of Ganguly
by S Ramanujam on Oct 20, 2008 07:27 AM
O idiot Maximus, are you speaking objectively. I see jealousy bubbling inside you. A batsman with 41 plus test average is nothing? What do you mean to say. I have never seen an idiot like you. And you dont have any heart at all you see nothing good in Ganguly? You are completely sick and blind go and see a doctor man!!
Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 20, 2008 12:15 AM
Dravid Draws?!! Clearly you don't know your cricket... Dravid's hundreds in Australia in Australia helped us win at Adelaide and square that series. His centuries in pakistan helped us win there for the first time. Ganguly has rarely won us a test match. I can't remember a single one where he was the single largest factor, but I am sure there'll be a couple. Even so, no where near dravid or SRT or VVS. He is the worst of our test batsmen. So it's logical that he goes first.
Nobody is talking about his captaincy. I'm talking about his place as a batsman.
Actually ganguly made his debut in Australia in 1992. Then was played in england in 1996 where he made a hundred and became more or less permanent. Natwest was an ODI series, I'm not talking about that. 2001 aussie dismantle: VVS RSD, Calcutta.
India has won more test matches due to Dravid than even Tendulkar. Go look up the records before you shoot your mouth off...
Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Faceless Spirit on Oct 19, 2008 02:27 PM
Judge Ganguly as a batsman and make averages when he was out of captaincy. Pressure of captaincy kills your best play which Sachin had to run away and Dravid had to relinquish and Laxman was nver considered for. Judge everything in totality and then only I can take you as an unbiased critic.
Re: Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 19, 2008 02:39 PM
Dravid did pretty well as captain. His dip in form came after he quit captaincy, for most part. He was doing well as captain. Also, that's no excuse for poor performances. Ponting is captain and averages almost 60. You are captain, but are useless to your side if you don't contribute with the bat. Captaincy is a responsibility but not a burden. If it is, you give it to someone who can handle the pressure. Ganguly has very few good test innings against big teams and the BCCI, in the hopes of maximising revenues has stopped playing Zim, NZ, Bangladesh in tests. Ganguly made tonnes of runs against these sides. His tonnes against Aus are few and far between. Dravid has probably scored more centuries vs aus in a series than Ganguly in his entire career. Ditto with SRT. Teams with express pace bowlers (or even 140 ) rattle Ganguly, given his inability to play the short ball. That's why he was never a great test batsman, unlike ODIs where the 1 bouncer per over rule is less than 6 yrs old.
SRT relinquished captaincy at a time when he was the only player contributing. If he played, we scored. If he didn't we lost. Ganguly was captain at a time we were less dependent on SRT (Dravid's and Laxman's golden years). Dravid himself was captain during part of that period. He quit after the WC debacle and a slight lull in his form (got worse after he quit captaincy).
All in all, Ganguly or Laxman had to go. Not because they are bad, but we have to look to the future. Sad, but true.
Re: Critics of Ganguly
by Alfred Thomas on Oct 19, 2008 03:00 PM
He is at 36 ... bhai let him retire atleast now.. let some new blood come to pitch.... what is the problem for you.. India is not going to get world cup in either case..so let others also make some money........... what is the big deal in this....
Some people are born great, Some people achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.Sachin belongs to the first category while Sourav might have a great technique or inborn talent but has more than made it up with his mental strength and fighting spirit.Even people who criticize him cannot deny the fact that he is the greatest captain India has ever had and one of the greatest in one day cricket.His life has been a real fairy tale of a fallen hero who has come back and achieved his redemption.Posterity will judge him as a great cricketer who brought a qualitative change in Indian cricket and took to to the very best period.Those who still criticize him are born losers and are like dogs who bark when a elephant moves.Cheers to the man who has brought many laurels to indian cricket.
Re: The Born Fighter
by vimaljith p on Oct 19, 2008 02:02 PM
Some people are born great, Some people achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.Sachin belongs to the first category while Sourav belongs to the second.He might not have a great technique or inborn talent but has more than made it up with his mental strength and fighting spirit.Even people who criticize him cannot deny the fact that he is the greatest captain India has ever had and one of the greatest in one day cricket.His life has been a real fairy tale of a fallen hero who has come back and achieved his redemption.Posterity will judge him as a great cricketer who brought a qualitative change in Indian cricket and took to to the very best period.Those who still criticize him are born losers and are like dogs who bark when a elephant moves.Cheers to the man who has brought many laurels to indian cricket.
There is a saying "You can love him or hate him but you cannot ignore him" Sourav Ganguly is that sort of a person. A great motivator who has immense will power and belief in himself and his teammates. No other Indian player can make such a comeback that he has made in his carrer. As a capatain, he was great and induced self-belief in all the junior players, who will now play/are playing for India.
Don’t be sad….Dada is very wise and has taken the right decision at the right time. Now he will get the farewell from the team and board that he deserves, just like the Australian players get from their board. I don’t think in the past any Indian player has announced his retirement during a series where he is playing.
Don’t be sad….Dada has transformed a team from weak lambs to fierce tigers, who can win test matches and series in Australia, England, WestIndies, South Africa, Pakistan.
The people of India will be grateful to Sourav Ganguly “The Prince of Calcutta and the King of India and THE GREAT CAPTAIN OF INDIA”
Though Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation but without Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, India's freedom was a nightmare.
Though Sachin Tendulkar is the best cricketer India has ever produced but without Sourav Ganguly, India's cricket at such high international level was a nightmare.
Re: This Remark will remain as Golden Word
by TrueIndian on Oct 19, 2008 01:37 PM
Both of them had their part and way of contribution for Indian Independence incase of Gandhi and Subhash Bose.Similiarly for Sachin and Ganguly.I think we should not use the word "nightmare".It would lessen the contribution of the other person.
I don't know Sachin is God or not but he is definitely one of the greatest batsman world has ever seen.But that doesn't mean that Ganguly,Dravid is a not a good player.No one can deny that Sachin-Ganguly is best ODI opening pair.Ganguly is not only a good batsman, he has got one of the best cricketing brain.A player should be judged by his performance--as long as one can lay well.....why ignore him.If you want younger players to groom, you can follow rotation policy.But please don't just dump a player or any person who has given a lot to his country; this will demoralise the upcoming players.Now that Ganguly is saying Good bye,he atleast deserves a Good Farewell.Please don't dump him with a regional or other ill feeling.
From last 6yrs Ganguly is in news whether he plays/do not play/including new blood/standing by the new blood/fighting for the new blood/winning test/losing/being the best captain/being a revolutionary captain.....you just count the points he is there.........whether you LOVE him or HATE him.........YOU JUST CAN NOT IGNORE HIM.........IN FUTURE TOO ALL WILL KEEP REMEMBERING HIM WHETHER FOR HIS BATTING/CATIANCY/CONTROVERSIES.........WE SALUTE SUCH A PERSONALITY
There was a time when the fab four were in the best of form and every Indian was proud of watching them. But then you take every sport and see that there is a limit and time frame that a sportsperson can give his best. And when a person passes his peak he should understand this on his own and quit.
