Sourav Ganguly's Column : On His Retirement from IPL & also on IPL 6

Sourav Ganguly's Column in WISDENINDIA:

I played in five editions of the Indian Premier League for two different teams. A few months after the IPL last year, I decided to stop playing. It doesn’t feel odd because my decision was well thought out, and I have no regrets. I finally do feel like I’ve retired from the cricket ground.

I am quite excited about this year’s IPL, and looking forward to some more innovations in the Twenty20 format. I will certainly follow Kolkata Knight Riders, my home team, closely. The other teams that I will be following through the season are Chennai Super Kings, one of the most consistent sides in the tournament, Mumbai Indians – who have a well-balanced side, and Pune Warriors, who I represented for two editions of the IPL.

This IPL season is an important one for senior players like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan. All three had been dropped from Indian squads in recent times, and I’m sure a stunning performance at the IPL will get them back in the selectors’ thoughts. Good performance irrespective of format gets noticed. Gambhir got a hundred against Australia in the warm-up match ahead of the Test series, and the selectors called for him when Shikhar Dhawan was out injured. For him, it won’t matter that this is a Twenty20 tournament.

Many promising, domestic players have been signed by different teams this year, like Sandeep Warrier for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sachin Baby for Rajasthan Royals, Sandeep Sharma for Kings XI Punjab and Parveez Rasool for Pune Warriors. I’ll have my eyes on Rasool for sure. His performance against the Australians in the warm-up game, where he took seven wickets for 45 runs, was impressive and he also batted well. The other young Indian players that I expect big things from are Unmukt Chand and Shikhar Dhawan, who will be back in two weeks.

As for Indian bowlers, Sreesanth is one to watch. He has been through a rigorous fitness regime and I would like to see how he has improved, because a bowler like him will be valuable in the Indian bowling line-up over the next 15 months. Harbhajan Singh at Mumbai Indians and RP Singh, bought by RCB in the 2013 auction, are the other bowlers who I feel will impress this season.

The newly formed Sunrisers Hyderabad will be a surprise package. Most of the players have been retained from Deccan Chargers and with a new management, they should be raring to go. Deccan Chargers hadn’t looked their best since winning the title in 2009, but Sunrisers Hyderabad could be a different story.

As we all know, Twenty20 is a format where it’s very difficult to predict a winner. Momentum can swing either way in a matter of balls, so I will refrain from making any predictions. But I do believe that Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore are most likely to make the final four.

Ever since I retired, I’ve been asked if I miss being in the dressing room. I can honestly say that I don’t. As for whether I’d take up a coaching or consultancy role, I haven’t given it any thought. I will take things as they come.

©WISDENINDIA

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Sourav Ganguly’s Take on the Aussie Team Management & the Mohali TEST

Sourav Ganguly’s Column Published in Today’s ABP.

For the past few days, whatever happened in Australian cricket, it would be less to say on my part that I was just surprised about that But, lets leave that for now and analyse about the discussions on the ground.After the storm over the past few days, whether Michael Clarke's team will at all be able to challenge back India is a million dollar question. For that Australia not only needs to give their best, but need to do even more than that.

Reminds me of the week before the 2002 Headingley test, the week before the Perth test under Anil Kumble's captaincy, and the time just before the 2003 World Cup. Everytime we felt everything had fallen apart. However, things became fine in a matter of just 2 days.The team performed really well on the ground and got a great boost in confidence But, it doesn't appear to me that this Australian team can really come back in the remaining two tests.They have been losing 6-7 wickets in a session.Many ppl said that this is the worst Aussie team to have toured India. But I cannot say so strictly But I think this is the worst performance of an Aussie team visiting India in the past 13 years they have problems with batting as well as spin dept.

This Aussie team does not have 3 spinners who can take 20 wickets in a test in India, so how can they win? i dont understand as well why their team management so weak its not new to punish cricketers but I think the coach, captain could have talked and sorted things out which is very important to keep coach-captain relationship strong. To tactfully get the best off a player is a coach's job, afterall It is a human who is required on the ground, not a machine. so, it is best to treat players as humans. I m certain there would be more reasons that would surface for such a big incident. I am certain there would be more reasons that would surface for such a big incident. i don't think it could have happened just because of that one reason. I am eagerly waiting for the Mohali test.Australia's many controversial coaches had talked about iron-strong will of their teams in the past.

We will really come to know from this test, if that is true, or the coaches have been hiding their own Incompetencies beneath the performances of the likes of Steve Waugh, Alan Border or Ricky Ponting to boast of their teams.

© ABP

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Sourav Ganguly on India's Victory against Aus & Dhoni

India did well after losing the toss at chennai, worked hard and won comprehensively against australia. The positives for India are the performances of Sachin, Dhoni and Ashwin. Dhoni played a Captains knock, leading by example. It will give confidence to him, as well as the team. Dhoni should bat up the order as I have always said, it is beneficial for the team. For Australia they need to improve in the spin department if they want to come back in the series.
© ABP

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