I am not sure about you, but I for one am hoping that this time Dada does go the way of the Dodo, in cricketing terms of course. The cow has been milked to the fullest and it is time for Indian cricket and Dada to move on. A few million deranged fans in and around Kolkota will no doubt go into a deep depression, but they will get over it eventually.
But while the selectors may have given a preview of Ganguly's future, I am not so sure that we should be counting our chickens just yet. There is a distinct possibillity that sentiment will trump cold logic and he may end up playing a test match or two against the Aussies this winter. It would be a pity if that were to happen, but given our fondness for "happys endings," it would surprise no one.
One would think that BCCI, which knows very well how to make money, would understand the law of diminishing returns. Ganguly, Dravid, and Tendulkar have little to offer now to Indian cricket besides sentimental memories, and the sooner Indian cricket (comprising of irrational fans, sycophantic media, and timid selectors) realizes this the better off we will all be. Laxman is the only one among the four who deserves to stick around for a couple of more seasons. The reasons are two and quite simple; Laxman is a better No. 3 batsman than Dravid has been, and Laxman has been wasted at number six and seven. Letting Ganguly bat higher than Laxman for all these years has to be one of the most baffling decisions in Indian cricket in recent times.
Yuvraj Singh's exclusion from the Irani Trophy will surprise nobody, but disappoint many. But talent like grapes needs to be fermented just right for it to be bottled and sold at a profit. In Yuraj's defense he was made to ferment too long on the periphery of test cricket and by the time his turn came, the technique, motivation and discipline required for the longer version appeared to have been eroded. For my money, Yuvraj should have been made to play test cricket much sooner than he was. When he first came on the scene, he had the strokes and the confidence to play them. He was an outstanding fielder. Today, he is overweight, unsure and average. It is the erratic and unsophisticated nature of one-day cricket, which I believe has led to the rapid decline in Yuvraj's cricketing abilities. With Sehwag's exception, I have yet to see one-day cricket spawn a genuine test class batsman.
So with Ganguly and Yuvraj likely to miss out against Australia, do you think the BCCI will have the foresight to get Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina into the mix of test cricket? Don't bet on it. Although, both have shown sufficient talent and keeping them out of test matches will serve no meangful purpose. As for Kaif, it may be the case of forever the bridesmaid and never the bride.
If I were king for a day, my six batsmen for the test team would come from Sehwag, Gambhir, Laxman, Tendulkar, Dravid, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Mohammed Kaif. And If I were Tendulkar or Dravid, I would start thinking of life after cricket.
