Ganguly backtracks on quitting, still game for IPL
By IANSMonday, February 7, 2011
KOLKATA - Hours after announcing he would quit all forms of the game, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly Monday night did a somersault and said he was game for the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
“If I get an opportunity I can play IPL. Bottomline is if I play IPL, I will play other forms of domestic cricket also. I have already retired from international cricket,” Ganguly told reporters at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
Earlier in the day, in an interview to a news channel, Ganguly had announced his retirement from all forms of the game.
“I see no possibility of playing IPL now. I don’t see any point in continuing playing cricket, Ganguly said.
“I was playing Ranji Trophy only to stay fit for IPL, Ganguly said, two years after quitting international cricket.
Ganguly’s comments, coming three days after his chances of playing the fourth Indian Premier League (IPL) were dashed, had become headline news across the media, with even Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya terming Ganguly’s decision as sad and unfortunate.
“I think we should request Sourav to reconsider his decision,” Dalmiya said.
Ganguly had announcement retirement from international cricket on Oct 7, 2008 in Bangalore, at the beginning of the home Test series against Australia.
Since then, he had been turning out in the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders and for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy.
However, the Kolkata boy did not find any takers among the IPL franchises teams in the fresh auction held last month ahead of the fourth IPL.
The Kochi franchisee later evinced interest in Ganguly, but the move proved futile as Other franchises objected to Kochi’s interest to buy the former India captain.
Kochi had asked me if I would play for them. I had said yes. The rule should have been changed, he said.
Expressing disappointment over none of the franchises including his old team Kolkata Knight Riders expressing interest in him, Ganguly said: Cricketing logic and past performance suggests I should have been picked. There are so many other reasons for which I can be dropped, but not performance.
