[This review is dedicated to all Indian cricket fans who feel cheated by the decision of BCCI Review Committee]
Indian Cricket Fans….Complainant V/s.Sourav Ganguly, Indian Captain .... Accused
Judge :- Justice J.C.Banerjee Venue :- Kolkatta High Court
The Court room is fully packed with Indian cricket fans. Some BCCI Board members and officials are present. Judge enters the Court and sits on the Dias…
Court Pattewalla : Souraaaaaaav Gangoooooooooly Hajiiiiiiir Hoooooooo!
Sourav Ganguly enters the Court Room and stands in the witness box. Some fans start shouting after seeing him “Hat re hat re, Hatja Hatja”. The Court Trial begins(hereinafter called for sake of brevity “Complainant Advocate” as “C.Adv.” and Accused Advocate as A.Adv)
C.Adv. : My Lord, today our Accused is Mr.Sourav Ganguly, Indian team captain… My first charge against the Accused, he is not a successful captain. I am submitting this statement of Mr.Gangulys’ captaincy record in ODIs as well as Test Matches which may please be taken on record.
Some extract of that exhibits (Ganguly’s captaincy performance in ODIs)
Series Played--------Won----------------Lost----------Draw
---------32--------------------7--------------------22--------------3
C.Adv : My Lord look carefully at ganguly’s captaincy record in ODIs, we lost 22 series out of 32 series played under him. After comparing it with the earlier captain’s records, this seems to be worst. In test captaincy record, we won 20 tests out of which 10 wins are against cricketing minnows.
Ganguly : My Lord, this information is not true. Look at last 2 matches we won against Zimbabwe. After the Zimbabwe win, all media also said “we won overseas series after 19 years…..don’t u think that’s great?
C.Adv : Why we call Australians the world champions? b’coz they have the ability to beat any team at their home ground. This is where Mr.Gangully failed miserably. We won only 3 overseas series under his captaincy and that too against minnows like Bangladesh(2) and Zimbabwe(1). I have not consider test win in Pakistan, bcoz captainship responsibility was also shared by Mr. Dravid for the test matches. Dravid scored victory in only test played under him. We didn’t win any major tournament like WC, ICC Cup in his entire tenure. My Lord we called such a person “successful captain”?
Ganguly : My lord, Dravid is not liable for the captainship, he is totally an immature guy, He got a chance b’coz I got injured on pak tour. My Lord, please transfer that win into my account and that will help in improving my captaincy record.
Judge :- Mr.Ganguly! You are standing in front of the court, and not in front of Mr.Dalmiya.
C.Adv. : My lord my next allegation against the Accused, he leaked the dressing rooms secrets to media and that too after scoring 100 in last 3 years. That act is nothing but to gain the sympathy from cricket fans.
Ganguly :- Your Honor, suppose, I would have gone to the media to leak so-called secrets after scoring `0’, all Indian fans would have beaten the hell out of me. I scored that 100 after a long gap of 3 years with so much efforts. Don’t’ you u think that was a right time for me to leak the secrets to the media?
C.Adv :- My Lord, my next charge against Mr Ganguly, he is not at all a Aggressive Captain and a team leader. If he is really an aggressive captain then why that aggression is not reflecting in his captaincy record? Also he used his so-called leadership in dividing Indian team. It is clearly evident from Harbajan’s episode.
Ganguly : This contention is totally false. I have not divided the Indian team, but I admit that I helped some players in their downfall. In harbhajan’s case, this guy was out of form in many series and Board also wanted to kick him out. But I helped him to be in the team so that he helps me out in my downfall.
C.Adv. : But this will affect harbhajans’ cricketing career!
Ganguly : Your honor, I never told bhajji to support me in this issue. If it was happened during our zim.tour, I would have helped him.”Abhi toh bhajji jaane aur Punjab Cricket Board jaane, mujhe kya?”
C.Adv : My lord my next charge is indecent behavior on cricket field. I am giving you the example, when we won the natwest challenge at Lords in 2001, after the win Mr Ganguly took off his t-shirt at the Lords and waved it in air. In my opinion that was a very childish act.
A.Adv : I object your honor, my fellow lawyer insulting my client.
Judge : objection overruled. Mr Ganguly please answer.
Ganguly: My Lord, flintoff did the same act in India before my act. I strongly believe in tit-for-tat. Judge Saheb, I am confessing before u that after this act at the Lords, my fan list increased 60% overnight.
C.Adv. : My Lord, that was really a childish act. Former players like Wadekar, Gavaskar, Vishwanath, Kapil Dev also played at the Lords, but no one did such a childish act. Your Honor, think what would have happened if Flintoff had stripped his pant on that tour to India?
Big laugh explodes in the court room……so much shouting and whistles….
Judge : Order! Order!... Silence Please! This is a Court…. not the BCCI’s AGM…..
A.Adv : I object your Honor. This is not at all related with the case…
Judge : Objection sustained. Learned Counsel, please ask next question.
C.Adv. : My Lord, my next charge is Mr.Ganguly is not attending the practice sessions. Mr.Ganguly is also very famous for dilemma of Run-outs. Mr. Chappell actually arranged a special practice session for him at the start of Zimbabwe Tour. Mr.Ganguly skipped that practice sessions. Mr. Chappell also sent an e-mail to BCCI in that regard.
Ganguly : I helped Mr. Chappell a lot in his appointment as a coach. But he has not taken care of our friendship. Don’t you think that e-mail was nothing but back-stabbing me? Mr Chappell is a very strict coach. We don’t like his practice sessions. He told me to run 10 kms everyday to improve my running. Don’t you think he was too rude to me? When John Wright was Indian coach, I hardly ran 100 meters.
C.Adv : My Lord, this is really unfortunate. If our captain is drawing guidelines for the coach, then it’s all over. I think we must stop dreaming about World Cup 2007. I have nothing more to add your Honor.
Judge : (looking at the Acc..Advocate) your witness please!
A Adv. : My lord…I think my client has defended himself in this case very well.. I have nothing more to say…..
Continued in comments section......