Sourav Gangul's Affair With S...........

[adamsmith]

Ganguly lost his captaincy in October and was then left out of the third Test against Sri Lanka, prompting an outcry.

He was seen in animated discussion with coach Greg Chappell before the start in Lahore, but was selected in the team.

Indian team manager Raj Singh Dungarpur said: "There was no pressure from the board to pick Sourav."

The 33-year-old Ganguly, a veteran of 86 Tests with 5,150 runs under his belt, was a controversial selection for the Pakistan tour.

After he was dropped for Test against Sri Lanka in December cricket board chiefs were forced to step in to cool tempers.


We do have three openers in the squad but we have taken into account playing conditions and experience
India coach Greg Chappell toes the party line

Indian cricket board president Sharad Pawar met Ganguly and senior players like Sachin Tendulkar before declaring that India's most successful Test captain was not a "disruptive influence" in the team.

Chappell, who had accused Ganguly of just that in a leaked e-mail to the previous regime in Indian cricket, took the hint and did not oppose the left-hander's selection for the tour.

Ganguly, India's most successful Test captain with 21 wins, was sacked from the job after the spat with Chappell in October and removed from the one-day squad.


I enjoyed it out there - there was no room for the bowlers to make errors
Younis Khan

And Chappell hinted strongly on Thursday that one of Wasim Jaffer and Gautam Gambhir would definitely take the field against Pakistan.

Neither is in fact in the team currently playing in Lahore - meaning opener Virender Sehwag will have no natural partner when India begin their reply to what is likely to be a formidable Pakistan total.

Younis Khan's 10th Test century, and third against India in his last four innings against them, was a sweet moment for him.

Afterwards, he said: "It was just our day and I enjoyed it out there.

"There was no room for the bowlers to make errors on such a beautiful batting track and whenever we got loose deliveries we found boundaries."