...It might seem strange, but this is why I question his suitability for and need to play T20. I am concerned that he will erode his brand, his stature by playing in the IPL. This is an ongoing conversation that we are having. Sourav has a three-year contract with the Knight Riders and of course believes he has the ability to play T20. But I have my doubts. One thing for sure, he is no longer an automatic selection for captain. I have made this point clear, much to the detriment of my popularity in India, but as coach I must always have the best interests of the team — not of any one individual, no matter how iconic — in mind.

I believe that for the likes of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid and Ponting this T20 format has arrived too late in their careers. There is no doubt they can play this game, but I have my doubts they can play it at the pace the game demands. This fact is being demonstrated by their younger peers. Even Warne, Gilchrist and McGrath will struggle to keep up. It will be interesting to see how they go in the coming seasons...

...Ganguly was the model for the new breed of confident and combative Indian cricketers. Ganguly showed that Indian cricket could stand up for itself. He is similar in that way to Ian Chappell, who stood up for what he believed and was not afraid to take on the administration — but with Chappell you always got the sense he had thought his actions through, whereas with Ganguly it is not always by design, it’s just the way he is.

... contd.