India go into the first Test against arch-rivals Pakistan here on Friday struggling to find a place in the playing eleven for former captain Sourav Ganguly.
Sacked as captain in October after a damaging row with coach Greg Chappell and struggling to find his best form with the bat, Ganguly has created a selection headache for the team management.
Chappell and captain Rahul Dravid don’t want Ganguly to open the innings and can’t fit him into the middle order without disturbing a trusted combination.
It is never easy to bring a 33-year-old with the experience of 86 Tests and 5 150 runs behind him on tour and leave him out in the cold in the dressing room.
When India dropped Ganguly for the third Test against Sri Lanka last month, there was such a public outcry that cricket board chiefs were forced to step in to cool tempers.
Indian cricket board president Sharad Pawar met Ganguly and senior players like Sachin Tendulkar before declaring that India’s most successful Test captain was not a ”disruptive influence” in the team.
Chappell, who had accused Ganguly of being just that in a leaked e-mail to the previous regime in Indian cricket, took the hint and did not oppose the left-hander’s selection for the Pakistan tour.
The tourists are undecided on Ganguly’s role, if any, in the first Test — to be played at the Gaddafi stadium in cold, seaming conditions ideally suited to Pakistani pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar.
”There is no place for sentiment in international cricket,” said Chappell. ”Whether Ganguly has been the captain before or not makes no difference.
”He wants to keep playing, he wants to play for India. You can’t knock that.
”But at the end of the day, we have to pick the best team. The playing eleven will be selected purely on cricketing merit.”
Chappell ruled out a place for Ganguly as opener, saying either Gautam Gambhir or the recalled Wasim Jaffar will partner vice-captain Virender Sehwag at the top of the order.
”We have three very good openers and it’s unfortunate one of them would have to be left out,” he said.
Three of the middle-order berths will be taken by Dravid, Tendulkar and Venkatsai Laxman, leaving the number six spot a straight contest between Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh.
Left-handed Yuvraj is a clear favourite with scores of 77 not-out and 75 in the last two Tests against Sri Lanka in December, backed by a half-century in the three-day tour opener here.
Ganguly, who missed the tour opener because he was ordered to stay at home and play domestic cricket, came up with two half-centuries for Bengal against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy.
India can fit in both Ganguly and Yuvraj only in the unlikely event of playing a seventh specialist batsman at the expense of a fourth bowler.
The last time Ganguly toured Pakistan two years ago, he became India’s most successful captain by winning the Test series 2-0. Now he is not even sure if he will play.
”When I came here last time, I wanted to perform well and my aim is the same on this trip too,” said Ganguly.
”Whether you are the skipper or not, playing for the country is the biggest motivation.” – Sapa-AFP