Dec 2, 2006, 16:29 GMT
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly says he is a changed man, far removed from the time he whipped off his shirt after an Indian victory in England - and that he is 'absolutely ready' for the Test series in South Africa, for which he has been recalled after nine months in the wilderness.
His exclusion from the team had made him more mature and introspective, Ganguly told India TV in an interview, adding his immediate priority was a Man of the Match award.
'I have made 10,000 runs, so I must be having something,' the stylish southpaw said.
Speaking about his return to the team, he insisted he had 'never once spoken to the selectors. I came to know about the decision only when it was announced.'
'I kept trying, I had full confidence in my own abilities. My critics have the right to an opinion, but I took my exclusion as a challenge, without bothering about criticism.'
Ganguly said former cricketing great Kapil Dev had suggested during this period that he retire 'due to non-cricketing reasons stacked up against me' but he had refused to budge.
'I am absolutely ready for South Africa,' he said, dispelling media reports he wasn't welcome in the eyes of some of his former teammates, especially some seniors.
Pointing to the importance of teamwork, he noted that, 'in today's cricket, one man can't win you the match.'
Emphasising there was 'nothing intrinsically lacking in the current set (of players),' Ganguly reminded the cricketing public that, 'the same boys have delivered big-time victories in the recent past'.
'Team India will deliver,' he asserted.
During the 35-minute interview, Ganguly never once could be drawn out on Indian coach Greg Chappell. He did, however, emphatically deny all theories propounded in the media after TV visuals of Chappell, Rahul Dravid and himself in the West Indies purportedly showed him confronting Chappell.
'I will speak nothing about Chappell,' he said, adding: 'My responsibility is now only to make runs.'
Putting his lot fully in the hands of Dravid, Ganguly said: 'Rahul needs time. I have no objection to Rahul being the boss. I am absolutely ready to play under him. He is a good captain and, like every other captain, he wants to win. Rahul needs full support.'
On the forthcoming World Cup, Ganguly said India's dismal performance in South Africa would have no bearing on what happens in the West Indies in June.
'Yes, we would need to have the right set of players, and I badly want to be one of them,' he said.
© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service
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