Sport - Cricket

Irani Cup omission triggered my decision, says Ganguly

Bangalore: The omission from the Rest of India squad for the recent Irani Cup match at Vadodara sowed the seeds of ‘walking away’ in Sourav Ganguly’s mind.

“I just felt it was time to go. I cannot deny the fact that I was a bit disappointed with the Irani Trophy selection. I had two outstanding years except for the Sri Lanka series. So if that was the case then I felt it was time to go,” Ganguly told the media at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, here on Wednesday.

“The decision took probably three weeks after the Irani game,” added Ganguly.

Was there any external pressure? “I don’t want to talk about this. I know what the right thing is and I am sure in due course you will find out,” Ganguly said. “I didn’t want to make much fuss about it, that is why at the pressmeet I announced it as the last because the series is more important than all this,” he said.

Asked about his family’s reaction, Ganguly said: “Nothing. My father will always be sad as usual. He also needs to understand that I need to go.

“I cannot say whether it is relief or not, I have not been sad. I am going to approach the series in the same way that has made me successful in the past.”

Ganguly termed his Test debut at Lord’s in 1996 as special while regretting losing to Australia in the 2003 World Cup final.

Ganguly’s dry humour surfaced when asked why he was always under scrutiny? “Probably, people didn’t like my face,” he quipped with a smile.

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