BOMBAY, 22 July 2005 — The selection of the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka generated a strange debate. Most people, critics included, kept quiet over who should or should not have been there. What intrigued many after the selection was whether Saurav Ganguly was permanently axed as captain to signal the beginning of the end of his career.
These questions were raised because of a constant speculation in the media that the higher-ups in the Board of Control for Cricket in India wanted Ganguly to be reappointed captain despite the fact that he is under suspension and there is no way he can play in the tri-series until and unless the six-match ban ends or is lifted by the ICC to which a special appeal has been made once again.
For these influential BCCI functionaries, it was a matter of prestige for Ganguly’s survival as skipper. They did not want him to be sidelined. Some of them spoke to the selectors individually to maintain status quo. In case, the ban was not to be finally lifted, then and only then should another player step in as captain. The argument forwarded was that it was in the cause of the team that Ganguly was penalized for slow over-rate in the series against Pakistan and slapped a six-match ban. They, of course, are not talking of his longrunning poor batting form.
It was quite on the cards that the selectors would toe the line and once again name Dravid a stand-by captain. But it did not happen that way because of just one major factor and that was the presence of the newly-appointed coach Greg Chappell at the selection committee meeting. It was one of the pre-conditions put forward by Chappell that he must have a say in the selection process of the team. The selectors had to respect the coach’s opinion on important matters.
In one of his first interviews, Chappell had said that the captain, whosoever he may be, must first justify his place in the team. And when a player’s status is such that he may not even be allowed to play, where was the need to name him captain. He straightaway insisted that Rahul Dravid be named captain. Many have, for long, been demanding transparency in the selection process, like allowing the media to view the discussion among the selectors. But now, for the first time, with the presence of the coach, that kind of transparency has been seen. All the desperate efforts made by the BCCI to have the ban on Ganguly lifted has now become less enthusiastic, as he has been included into the squad as a 16th member, that is as an extra player, over and above the permissible limit of 15. This was a face-saving compromise aimed at conveying the impression that Ganguly had not been discarded altogether. A cushioning effect was further provided by one of the selectors who said that Ganguly will surely return as captain.
That he was pulled up for speaking out of turn was a different matter. The debate over Ganguly’s future goes on.
Dravid now has his job cut out for him. If he is able to carry the team with him and gets some good performances from the couple of youngsters who have been inducted, he will have done fair by his appointment. With so many young players in the reckoning, the competition for the various places in the team is going to be fierce and no one, Ganguly the least, can ever take his place for granted any more.
