SOME swear by him; others swear at him. Sourav Ganguly will remain an enigma. The reactions to his exclusion have been on expected lines. By burning effigies of the National selectors, coach, captain, the fans have only adopted a blinkered course in expressing support for Ganguly, who, regardless of the circumstances, did not deserve such an undignified exit from the team.
The hysterical response, under the garb of passion for the game, from the fans should hardly be a surprise in a country where logic takes a back seat when it comes to taking a stand on an issue like this. The selectors have had to look at things in perspective with the emphasis being solely on the future, especially the upcoming tour to Pakistan, but the process has left a sour taste.
"You can't insult a national hero," fumed Dilip Vengsarkar. He was right. What prevented the selectors from avoiding such an ugly development involving the most successful captain ever in Indian cricket? Did he not deserve the kind of farewell the Australians accorded to Steve Waugh? In hindsight, though, the episode only confirmed the Indian failing to accept harsh realities, and also the sad truth that heroes do not always gain respect for their deeds.
The Ganguly affair also laid bare the myth that this was a well-knit team. When a senior cricketer like Ganguly feels "unwanted" and takes leave without a farewell from his `close' mates, you need to take a fresh look at the so-called camaraderie one hears about. A captain who was known to stand up for his players and a man who gave direction to Indian cricket with his innovative leadership was not even given a choice to pick his farewell stage. It was this aspect that stood out sorely.
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