Pics : Sourav Ganguly Launches Rajnish Gambhir's Book at Kolkata

Kolkata : Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly Saturday released a book by debut writer Rajnish Gambhir, titled 'A Passion Beyond Extremes-a saga of love, deception and crime.' 

Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata and Leadstart publishers Saturday launched the book which the publishers claim is a captivating story about ambition, love, betrayal and murder.

The book release was followed by the author's conversation with prominent writer and jounalist, Kishore Bhimani and public relations expert, Rita Bhimani.

Exclusive Pics :

                                                               © Rajdeep Dutta

                                                           © Rajdeep Dutta

Read More

I will be missing DADA in IPL6 - Angelo Mathews

Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews has been appointed captain of the Pune for the sixth edition of the T20 Cricket League. Mathews found himself in the hot seat after Michael Clarke, the first choice skipper for the Warriors, was ruled out of cricket for about 10 weeks by Cricket Australia, following a back problem. The Australian captain had to miss the last of the four-match Test series against India due to his troubled back.

Dada was the Captain of PWI last year, now the charges have been entrusted with Angelo Matthews. Angelo told  "Personally I will be missing Dada as i played most of IPL matches under his Leadership be it KKR or PWI ".

©ABP

Read More

Sourav Ganguly’s Surprise Visit to Eden Gardens – KKR vs DD April 3, 2013

Five minutes into the start of the game , Sourav walked in at the Eden amid huge cheers. He ‘enjoyed’ the proceedings thoroughly and considered KKR to be one of the favourites to win the title.He watched the match from the lower tier of the club house, did not go to any hospitality boxes. Sourav seemed to be quite happy on Wednesday when KKR began their IPL-VI campaign with a victory over the Delhi DareDevils.

Asked what makes the Knights favourites, Sourav said: “They have a trump card called Sunil Narine. He is their key player. He will again create an impact this season.”

Speaking about KKR’s chances in the tournament, the former captain said: “I am pleased to see them play so well. I am happy for their victory. A win in the first match is always vital. Now, they need to build on this momentum.”

Sourav feels that the absence of Virender Sehwag hurt Delhi DareDevils’ chances. “Viru’s absence was a huge blow to Delhi. But then, injuries are a part and parcel of the game. You cannot control it. But I hope that he recovers fast.”

©TelegraphIndia & ABP

Read More

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

Read More

Interview : Sourav Ganguly on His Favourites & Darkhoses for IPL 6

KOLKATA: IPL-6 will surely be poorer without Dada’s presence on the field.
By his own admission, he has had enough. "You can't go on forever. I enjoyed it for five seasons," said Sourav, who plans to follow the tournament on television this time. TOI caught up with the former India captain for his take on the new season which gets under way in his own backyard on Wednesday. Sourav, who played for KKR in the first three seasons and the next two with Pune Warriors, was strictly 'neutral' while making his assessments.



How tough will it be for KKR to retain the IPL crown this year?
It was a huge achievement for KKR to win the title last season. It was a long wait, but they deserved the success, having played consistently good cricket throughout the tournament. Now they have to do it all over again. It will be tough, no doubt, but having done it once, they certainly know what it takes to go all the way. Chennai Super Kings have shown that it can be done, so there is no reason why KKR can't do the same.

Do you agree that Mumbai Indians have underachieved in the first five seasons?
I wouldn't say that they have underachieved. Mumbai Indians have made the knockout phase in the last three seasons besides winning the Champions League T20 title once. They also made the final in 2010 when they lost to CSK. They are a good all-round side. It is just that they have come up short in big matches.

How do you rate Mumbai's chances?
This year, they have made interesting additions. They have a new but highly experienced coach in John Wright, the well-respected Anil Kumble as their mentor and senior pro Ricky Ponting as captain. Along with Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh's experience, you have exciting youngsters in Glenn Maxwell, Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu. They are a formidable unit and will be strong contenders for the title.

Which are the teams to watch out for?
I will be following the fortunes of KKR, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and, of course, CSK.

What makes CSK such a hot property?
Look, they have won the title twice (2010 and 2011) and lost two finals (2008 and 2012). The only year they failed to make the final was in 2009 in South Africa, but they still made the semis. They have the right mix and a very strong contingent of Indian players. Their biggest achievement is that they have built a strong team by retaining key players and not making too many changes in their line-up.

Any dark horses?
The tournament format, coupled with the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, makes it hazardous to make random guesses. The key to a successful campaign lies in making a good start and finishing strongly. It is tough for teams to perform every third or fourth day over eight weeks in extremely harsh conditions. You are bound to lose a few games along the way, but it is important to peak at the right time to be able to carry the momentum with you in the knockout stages.

What do you expect from Hyderabad?
They have a new-look side but have a strong pace attack led by Dale Steyn, Thisara Perera and Ishants Sharma.

© TOI

Read More