The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : I still have some fuel left in the tank: Ganguly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 05, 2005

Sport

Sport - Cricket

I still have some fuel left in the tank: Ganguly

Special Correspondent

DAMBULLA: "It's been nine years, but I still have some fuel left in the tank," said Sourav Ganguly, about joining the exclusive 10,000-run club in One-Day International cricket.

"It is a big milestone to be among the first three batsmen in the world and only the second Indian after the great Sachin Tendulkar. Would be satisfying for any cricketer," said the former Indian captain.

Ganguly's celebration seemed a little muted when he got to the 10,000th run. The left-hander only lifted his bat.

"It was just an instinctive reaction," he said. In his case it was a late reaction though.

"I'm happy about reaching the landmark because when I started my Test career in 1996 I was thought to be a Test player. And in the next nine years to get 10,0000 runs is obviously satisfying," he said.

Ganguly opened the batting on Wednesday, a position he has had much success — scoring nearly 8,000 runs. "I moved to the No. 3 slot for the team. Virender Sehwag wasn't consistent in the middle-order, but we were aware of his talent. I thought if he could fire at the top of the order with Sachin, and me at No. 3 then that would be the best combination for the team."

The left-hander continued, "When you are captain, you do certain things in the team's interest. I have no regrets for that. I may have missed out on a bit of my big runs, but the team had some success in that period and that's what's important."

Asked if he'd want to continue opening the batting in ODIs, Ganguly said, "That's a decision for the captain — be it Rahul (Dravid) or me — to make."

About his interactions with Dravid during Wednesday's match, Ganguly said, "It's the duty of any player to contribute to the captain in any way possible. I went and spoke to Rahul a few times."

There were reports in the media about the differences in the team since his arrival. "My father called up to tell me about it. I don't know from where they (a section of the media) got this. But what can we do."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport