India's Test team for the South Africa tour yet to be selected, former captain Sourav Ganguly today signalled his return to form by cracking an unbeaten century in the Group B Duleep Trophy league match here today.

And minutes after play ended on the third day, Ganguly said he was hoping for a World Cup berth. “I hope to play the World Cup. My target is to play in the big event,” said the East Zone skipper. “My job is to play and score runs. It is upto the selectors to decide the team,” said Ganguly when asked to rate his chances of making a comeback to the Indian team.

Seeking to make a comeback to the Indian team after being left in the wilderness since the tour to Pakistan earlier this year, Ganguly was batting on 118 at stumps to lead the East Zone fightback against North Zone at the Nehru Stadium.

The 33-year-old played several elegant strokes, including his trademark off drives, and has so far plundered a dozen fours and three sixes facing 239 balls.

Replying to North Zone’s mammoth total of 504, East (resuming at 22/2) were 215/4 at stumps with former Test wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta giving company to Ganguly on 22. Dasgupta, who came in after L R Shukla (15), was involved in a 68-run unbroken fifth-wicket partnership with Ganguly as East now were 289 runs behind the North total.

Earlier, the match started 45 minutes late amidst high drama, with Ganguly raising security concerns after yesterday’s twin blasts in the city. Ganguly sought additional forces in the stadium, and agreed to play after the local organisers assured him of fool-proof security.

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