So this truly is the end of Sourav Ganguly as we know him best – the bat in his hand, pads on feet and the classic charge down the pitch for the lofted six – stuff now to be seen only on YouTube videos, never live again…
Emotions are running high now and will remain on boil for some time to come – especially among the easily excitable Bengalis who see this as a personal snub…how dare some movie stars and corporates not see fit to take on Ganguly, they ask. How can they measure his worth in money, they ask then. Which is where I need to ask some questions as well…
In the midst of so many conflicting emotions (the twitter updates on Ganguly have really spiked in the last couple of hours), it is often difficult to find a neutral position. And especially when I have been and will always be a avid fan of Ganguly – for me, not only of the best cricketer but also the most complete leader of men that cricket has produced in this country.
But life goes on, has to go on and Ganguly of all people, should have realized by now that there is a time to take a last stand and a time to slide gracefully into the sunset. There is a time for brave stubbornness and a time for pragmatism. The gunslinger past his prime will be eventually shot down by the younge
r one. Fact of life.
Before we start berating the rich smug corporate czars and the movie stars for demeaning a legend, let us ask ourselves an uncomfortable question – was Ganguly a willing participant or was he not?
In fact, he increased his base price before the bidding began, (which may have actually been the last nail in his coffin), which may or may not be a last attempt to rake in the money before the end of a career.
Lets face it – he, along with everybody, was in this for money. Period.
So lets not keep shouting that this money fest is demeaning to cricketers and to cricket. For better or for worse, every sport is eventually about money. That's what gives us the spectacle that cricket enthusiasts have been lapping up for the last three years.
Its quite simple – if you don't like, don't watch it, don't give the advertisers your money or the event your attention. If it goes for us, it goes for Ganguly. But then, he wanted to be a part of it.
And when you are a part of it, you play by the rules.
And the rules of this particular game is this – This is a young man’s 
game, this is a game that calls not for class or even talent but for brutal quickie power, this is a game not played for pride or glory or even for sportsmanship or country – its played for money
It is not – a place where legends will be feted and celebrated for their own sake – if you haven't played for some time, you cant hit em out of the ground from the first ball, a place where huge egos can be pampered
Which then brings us to the next question that is being asked – How dare they they think Ganguly was not good enough? After all, he was one of the big scorers in IPL3.
Well, he may be good enough or maybe not. After all, he has not played cricket in a long time – long, short or the Blitz versions. So let 
me play the classical trick of turning the tables and putting your money on it. If it was your $4m and you had a choice of Ganguly with his legend or two players with $2m each but who are battle ready, and you stand to gain if your team won and lose if your team loses, which way would you go? At such times, the head easily wins non? So lets not blame easily…
So yes, it is a disappointing way to hang up your cricket bat but hey it was a war out there and Ganguly lost fair and square (though conspiracy theorists will undoubtedly see one in this one as well – we all have ways to deal with disappointments!!).
I do not believe that this is a disgrace. We, Ganguly’s fans should be confident of the one we admire. Ganguly’s accomplishments are enough to wipe out this distressful day. The man who turned around Indian cricket cannot be disgraced by an event, which in the final analysis, is not much more than a extravagant gully cricket tournament.
Long after the cheerleaders have packed up and gone, long after the after-match parties (which will still be more important than the match itself) have faded into the dawn, long after the fixers have gone home with their booties and long after people will stop giving a damn about the advertisement fuelled match adrenaline, the vision of Ganguly’s waving of his shirt above his head will still define the spirit of Indian cricket…
My Captain, my Captain…Adieu…
2 comments:
Every good thing should come to an end. he was the captain who modernized Indian cricket. relevant post.
He truly was and that is how he should be remembered!!
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