- FILE
GANGULY... In serious Test form slump.
COCHIN, India, (Reuters):
OUT-OF-FORM India captain Saurav Ganguly will be under pressure to retain his job in a six-match one-day series against Pakistan starting tomorrow.
The 32-year-old, having a torrid time with the bat, has come under severe criticism from fans and former players after failing throughout the Test series, which ended in a 1-1 draw earlier this week. He had a miserable average of 9.6 in the three matches.
Public opinion has turned so strongly against Ganguly that he was booed by the crowd on his way to the crease in both innings in the final Test in Bangalore.
As often happens in India, however, the mood could change quickly if he leads the way for a resounding one-day series win against the cross-border rivals.
It is not the lack of Test runs over recent months but the manner of dismissals that have put Ganguly in the firing line.
SHAKY
The Indian skipper was particularly shaky in Bangalore, where Pakistan won the match to level the series.
He was stumped in the first innings, totally foxed by a googly from legspinner Danish Kaneria, and bowled between bat and pad in the second while sloppily driving at a big turner from occasional leg spinner Shahid Afridi.
The third Test loss to Pakistan, which cricket-crazy Indian fans hate more than anything, has got them baying for his blood.
Ganguly's Test form has, at best, been scratchy over the past two years. His last Test century was against Australia at Brisbane in December, 2003 but in one-dayers, he remains a force to be reckoned with.
BIG PERFORMANCES
What could work in Ganguly's favour is that India play no Tests till an away series in Zimbabwe in October, giving him enough time to redeem himself with big performances in the shorter version of the game. His 22 one-day centuries are second only to team mate Sachin Tendulkar and though the last 100 came back at the 2003 World Cup, there have been nine half-centuries since then.
With Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif in the line-up, India will start the one-dayers as slight favourites.
But Pakistan are on a high after their Bangalore Test win and their batting lineup, comprising Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana, is in fine shape.
India won a thrilling five-match series 3-2 in Pakistan last year and this one could go down to the wire as well.
Ganguly will desperately hope his team wins. Another disappointing loss could mean the end of the road for him.
