Amidst the ongoing controversy on the preference of players to take rest from international cricket after the prolonged Indian Premier League (IPL), former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly batted for the players as he supported their decision to take rest after the IPL.
Ganguly said: “How can you ignore IPL? The country always comes first but you cannot ignore IPL.”
“Don’t forget IPL is a product of BCCI,” he said here a press conference to announce his show on a local channel.
“IPL would not be so successful without the likes of Tendulkars, Shane Warnes among others,” he said, adding that “it’s very difficult to balance as the players are humans after all.”
A recent controversy has erupted in the Indian cricketing arena as number of top players like Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Dhoni himself were given rest from the West Indies tour after the long IPL season.
Besides a number of players like Gambhir and Sehwag could not go to West Indies due to injury.
The six senior players were criticised for their decision to give priority to IPL over their national duties.
He said: “But at the same time IPL is so big. It’s very difficult to balance as BCCI wants all its players to take part in IPL.”
He said that it is for Indian Premier League that players like Paul Valthaty and Manoj Tiwary have gained lots of popularity.
“Don’t forget that it has made life for a lot of players. Only 14 players can represent the country, what happens to the fringe players who have done well in the domestic circuit? IPL has provided a platform to all of them. And more importantly, IPL has made them financially secured,” he said.
“Look at Paul Valthaty, he had a tremendous success this year and he could be in Mumbai side, a team India opportunity also might be reckoning for him. It has done wonders for a lot of cricketers,” he said.
Speaking on his shift from KKR to his new club Pune Warriors this season, the former Kolkata Khightr Riders captain said: “It’s time to move on. After all Gautam Gambhir moved on from Delhi Daredevils to become the highest paid IPL player, so did Yusuf Pathan. That’s the way it is, it demands results.”
Commenting on former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga?s comment stating IPL is creating monster the former KKR skipper said,”I know he is harping this for a long time. But I don’t think IPL is a monster.”
Speaking on the appointment of the new Indian team coach Duncan Fletcher he said: ?Mahendra Singh Dhoni has a great team. I am sure Duncan Fletcher will reap the benefits of joining the side who have been so successful and have quality players. Duncan will get a lot of confidence from it.”
Ganguly also said that Dhoni and his ?Men in Blue? will find it tough a job to defeat England on their home soil.
India will play a two and half month tour of England that will commence from from Jul.
Dhoni and co will play four Test matches, five ODI (One Day Internationals) and two Twenty20 International matches besides playing a couple of matches against the county sides.
“India will win the series in the West Indies but it will be tough to beat England in England as they have enjoyed a lot of success at home in the recent past,” Ganguly said.
“It will be challenging to keep themselves fit and fresh for the England series right after the tour to the West Indies,” was his forthright assessment.
Ganguly also commented on the recent Supreme Court direction to him to return a plot of land he had got from the Left Front government.
“When you get land from the government you have to stick to rules. There must have been some mistakes. I will try and sort it out with the Chief Minister [Mamata Banerjee],” Ganguly said on the recent controversy over his land.
Ganguly will be seen hosting the popular Bengali version of the game show (Kaun Banega Crorepati) named ‘ Ke Hobe Banglar Kotipati’ for Mahuaa Bangla.