2006: Sourav Ganguly had been out of the team for almost a year after a bitter feud with coach Greg Chappell. The team’s poor run in the one-day series against South Africa saw him being recalled for the Test series. He landed in Johannesburg and went straight to the nets. Through that series — a highly successful one for him — he remained secluded from the rest of the team, partly because he felt more comfortable that way, partly because his team mates feared earning the wrath of the coach.

2009: After dilly-dallying for weeks, Ganguly is eased out as captain of the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, and according to stories coming out of the camp, is under pressure to retain his place in the team. Team owner Shah Rukh Khan backs him in public, but Brendon McCullum is picked to lead the side. Another Australian, John Buchanan, is in the coaching seat this time, and Ganguly suddenly has as much to prove.

To say that he struggled in his first outing, against the Deccan Chargers, would be an understatement. The pace that Fidel Edwards generated seemed too hot to handle, as did the movement RP Singh got off the pitch.

Despite the hectic travelling schedules, Ganguly seemed intent on squeezing in as much training as possible. Before the second game against Kings XI Punjab, he reached the venue at 10 in the morning to have a net session. The only bowlers around were those from the opposition he was to face, so Ganguly batted against them for an hour. In the game, Brad Hodge got promoted to one-drop and Ganguly didn’t get a hit as the chase got washed out. Though he had bowled well, picking up two crucial wickets, but his bat was still silent.

... contd.