The Hindu : Sport : Don't drag team into controversy: Sourav Ganguly

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Sunday, Sep 25, 2005

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Don't drag team into controversy: Sourav Ganguly

Special Correspondent

MUM'S THE WORD: Sourav Ganguly's face reflected a whole gamut of emotions when he answered questions from newsmen at the Mumbai airport on Saturday. — Photo: PTI

MUMBAI: Sourav Ganguly flew into Mumbai from Zimbabwe early on Saturday morning along with vice-captain Rahul Dravid and the rest of the Indian team. The Indian skipper, addressing the media on arrival, asserted that he did not wish the team to be dragged into the controversy, generated after the coach Greg Chappell's confidential e-mail to the BCCI appeared on Friday in a Kolkata newspaper. Chappell will arrive two days later, as per the original schedule along with the rest of the support staff — team physio John Gloster, trainer Gregory King and biomechanics expert Ian Frazer.

"I do not want the team to be dragged into this," replied Ganguly to a query whether he would take up the e-mail issue personally. "The mail (from Greg Chappell) is about me. I will talk about the issue with the BCCI if it asks me."

"India was expected to beat Zimbawe and win the series. We have done that," observed the skipper after the 10-wicket win in the second Test at Harare.

Team decisions

Ganguly stressed that all decisions were taken as a team, including a move to exclude in-form Mohd. Kaif in the Test series.

"All decisions are team decisions, taken by me, coach Chappell and Rahul Dravid," he said, hoping that India would do well, regardless of the leader. Ganguly admitted that the team has still to sort out the reason for losing final matches.

"To be honest we have not been able to find the solution on how to win the finals. We understand it is getting difficult after losing so many finals," said the captain.

Incidentally, the Indian team's departure from Mumbai for a tri-series in Zimbabwe was marked by confusion due to late arrivals of players and skipper Ganguly, leaving coach Chappell fuming at the delayed pre-tour media briefing.

Agreeing with Tendulkar

He agreed with Sachin Tendulkar's views that discussions in the dressing room should not come out in the open. "Yes, I agree dressing room discussion should remain within the dressing room only," Ganguly said when asked for a reaction.

Talking of India's performance on the tour, Ganguly said, "I think everybody expected us to win the Test series 2-0 and we did it convincingly. I thought we played well in the one-day competition except the final. We batted well in the final, but obviously could not defend a score of 280."

Talking about his performance, Ganguly said, "I played well in the Test series and was happy to get a hundred and happy to win both the matches convincingly. That's what matters."

The positives

On the positives from the tour, he said everybody played their part well. "(Gautam) Gambhir played well, (V.V.S.) Laxman and myself got hundreds, Rahul (Dravid) batted well, Irfan Pathan bowled very well. "It was good to see Zaheer Khan bowl so well. The spinners did not get much of an opportunity because the seamers did most of the damage," he said.

"Harbhajan (Singh) bowled very well in the second innings of the first Test at Bulawayo when taking four wickets and in his two-wicket haul in the first innings of the final Test at Harare. But generally the spinners had little opportunities," he said. Ganguly also pointed out that Kaif and Yuvraj Singh played their parts well in the one-day series.

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