The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Six-match ban on Ganguly harsh: Visvanath

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Wednesday, May 04, 2005

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Six-match ban on Ganguly harsh: Visvanath

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Former India player and ICC Match Referee G.R. Visvanath feels the six-match ban imposed on the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is too harsh.

"The match referee concerned ought to have gone by the guidelines governing the game before considering slapping the ban. He also warned Ganguly the previous game for his team's inability to complete the quota of overs. It is entirely left to the official to decide the quantum of punishment,'' Visvanath said.

Visvanath is here on the National Cricket Academy (NCA) assignment as the batting consultant for the zonal academy. He will be here for the next two days to iron out the flaws of the zonal academy boys currently training under another former India player, Ashok Malhotra.

When asked whether the six-match ban was too harsh, Visvanath said it was and he would have preferred a four-match ban. "Probably I would have considered a four-match ban for such an offence,'' he said.

Concerned

Like all the Indians, he was also concerned about Ganguly's lack of form with the bat. "It happens to everybody with a long career. One will have to sort it out on his own. Ganguly has to seek experts' help to know what is going wrong with his batting. He should have confidence in him to get out of the bad patch. He has to work in the nets and I can assure you one big knock will help him regain the touch,'' he said.

Visvanath said Ganguly should not give too much importance to what former players and media and others say about his batting. "He should not worry about the criticism. Instead he should think about his game and how to get back into form,'' he said. "He can view some of his biggest and best knocks of the past and draw inspiration from them. This will give him the confidence.''

Qualified former players

On appointment of a coach for the Indian team, Visvanath said there were a number of highly skilled and qualified former cricketers who could serve as India coach. "But I am not sure of their availability. Again it also depends on the Indian Board,'' he said.

When told that Board was looking for a foreigner to coach India, he said the Indian Board was perhaps looking for a foreigner because he would not be influenced by anybody.

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