Sport - Cricket;Goodbye Ganguly?

Kadambari Murali

This week could see the end of an unforgettable era, with Sourav Ganguly “set to quit” international cricket if not selected for the Australia series. The team for the first two tests will be chosen on Wednesday.
If Ganguly, 112 short of 7,000 Test runs, does retire, he would be the first of India's ‘Fab Five’ — the others being Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman — to call it a day, bringing to a close what has been Indian cricket’s most dramatic chapter.
Sources close to the former India skipper told HT Ganguly’s mind was made up. “He said there is no point in trying to make yet another comeback after this,” said the source. “He has nothing to prove to anyone anymore.”
Ganguly, who had not spoken to (or been spoken to) by any selector in the recent fortnight since his axing from the Irani Cup squad, was philosophical. “I’ve seen it all, whatever happens, happens,” was his view, the source added.
Interestingly, in the two years since South Africa and Ganguly's spectacular return from the wilderness, he has played 21 Tests, making 1667 runs at a very respectable 45.05, which is higher than his Test career average of 41.02.
According to the selectors, “everyone who’s played first class cricket” was in line for a Test call up. But Ganguly will probably be battling for a berth alongside the much younger Yuvraj Singh and S. Badrinath. And if the new selectors are looking to begin the process of transition, he is where they will likely start.