Indian selector furious as Ganguly goes AWOL by AFP

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Event:

India in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 26th December 2005

 

India's chief cricket selector Kiran More on Monday denounced former captain Sourav Ganguly for skipping domestic cricket before next month's tour of Pakistan.

 

Ganguly, a controversial selection for the tour, missed Bengal's two first-class Ranji Trophy matches against Karnataka and Gujarat despite being asked to play by More.

 

"I am surprised and shocked that Sourav is not playing against Gujarat," More said after the four-day game began in Surat on Sunday while Ganguly spent Christmas with his family in Kolkata.

 

"This was the ideal time to get some match practice before the Pakistan tour. I demand an explanation because he missed the previous match against Karnataka as well."

 

More said he had asked Bengal selector Pranob Roy and team coach Paras Mhambrey to ensure Ganguly played first-class cricket after being dropped from the third Test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad.

 

"I was told they were unable to contact Ganguly and then I learnt he had asked not to be considered for the two matches," More said.

 

Five other players selected for Pakistan -- Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Venkatsai Laxman and Wasim Jaffar -- are turning out for their respective state teams in the latest round of Ranji Trophy matches.

 

Other Team India players, including captain Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, were asked to rest by the team management after the busy home schedule.

 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, overruled its chief selector and said Ganguly will not be asked to explain his absence.

 

"We are not going to ask for an explanation," said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah. "What can we do if he does not play?"

 

Ganguly, who was embroiled in a row with coach Greg Chappell on the Zimbabwe tour in September, was sacked as captain in October and dropped from the home one-dayers against Sri Lanka and South Africa.

 

The left-hander was brought back for the first two Tests against Sri Lanka before being dumped again for the third Test, a move that created a public outcry across India.

 

When Ganguly was picked in the 16-man squad for the Pakistan tour on Saturday, local media speculated that BCCI president Sharad Pawar had forced the selectors to include him in a bid to cool tempers.

 

Pawar, who defeated the powerful Jagmohan Dalmiya faction in last month's board election, held separate meetings with Ganguly, More, Chappell and senior pro Tendulkar before the selectors met in Mumbai.

 

Ganguly, India's most successful Test captain with 21 wins, led India to victory in both the Test and one-day series on the last tour of Pakistan in March-April 2004.

 

Pakistan, which toured India earlier this year, drew the Test series 1-1 and won the one-dayers 4-2.

 

The selectors said Ganguly, who has scored 5,150 runs in 86 Tests, was picked for Pakistan because of his experience.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)