The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : I will welcome Sourav Ganguly back into the Indian team: Dungarpur

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Friday, Dec 23, 2005

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I will welcome Sourav Ganguly back into the Indian team: Dungarpur

Kolkata: Former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur on Thursday said that he had no problem with Sourav Ganguly being selected for the tour of Pakistan and would welcome the cricketer into the Indian team.

``I can't say whether he will be in the team. It's for the selectors to decide. But if he is selected, I won't have a problem. I will welcome him to the team,'' said Dungarpur, who will be the manager of the side for the Pakistan tour beginning next month.

Dungarpur, a supporter of BCCI president Sharad Pawar, has consistently been a vocal critic of the former Indian skipper and also supported the selectors' decision of keeping the left-hander out of the squad for the Ahmedabad Test.

However, he stuck to his stand that it was not proper for the BCCI president to intervene in selection matters.

``I did say that presidential intervention in selection matters is wrong. But then (BCCI president) Sharad Pawar has made it clear that it was for the selectors to choose the team and he will not intervene,'' Dungarpur told PTI.

Dungarpur said Pawar had told him that he would be the team manager for the Pakistan trip.

He also lauded coach Greg Chappell for the recent successes of the Indian team.

``Chappell's contribution is immense. Anybody will acknowledge it. And the boys are also saying so,'' he said.

Dungarpur also maintained that both the coach and captain should have voting rights in selection committee meetings.

To a query how the new BCCI was different from the earlier one, Dungarpur said that there has been a total change in the attitude and approach of the board.

``Look at the amount of money we have got. The payment of players will also go up. Look at the way the president is communicating with the players,'' he added. — PTI

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