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Ganguly mum on Chappell e-mail

Source: PTI
September 24, 2005 07:24 IST
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India captain Sourav Ganguly refused to comment on the reported e-mail sent by team coach Greg Chappell to Board of Control for Cricket in India president Ranbir Singh Mahendra.

"I don't want to comment on the issue. Yes, I am aware of it. I will talk to the BCCI on the issue if they ask me. It's a sensitive issue at the present moment," Ganguly told reporters on arrival from Zimbabwe on Saturday morning.

Ganguly and 13 other players, including vice-captain Rahul Dravid, returned home in the early hours while coach Chappell and the rest of the support staff stayed back and are scheduled to arrive a couple of days later.

Ganguly did not want the rest of the team to be drawn into the controversy over his spat with Chappell prior to the Test series.

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"I don't think the entire team should be dragged into this. It was some statement made by the coach. I don't think the rest of the boys need to be pulled into this. For us it was important winning the two Tests and we won them convincingly," he said.

Ganguly expressed disappointment at losing yet another one-day final and said the team hasn't found a solution to the problem.

"To be honest we have not been able to find the solution on how to win the finals. We understand it is getting difficult losing so many (19) finals," he said.

The Indian team lost to New Zealand in the tri-series final before making a clean sweep of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe.

"I think everybody expected us to win the Test series 2-0 and we did it convincingly. I thought we played well in the one-day competition except the final. We batted well in the final, but obviously could not defend a score of 280," he said.

Talking about his showing, he said, "I played well in the Test series and was happy to get a hundred and happy to win both the matches convincingly. That's what matters."

On the positives from the tour, he said everybody played their part well. "(Gautam) Gambhir played well, (V V S) Laxman and myself got hundreds, Rahul (Dravid) batted well, Irfan Pathan bowled very well."

"It was good to see Zaheer Khan bowl so well. The spinners did not get much of an opportunity because the seamers did most of the damage," he added.

He also said that Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj Singh played their parts in the one-day series.

Asked about the controversial omission of Kaif from the two Tests, Ganguly explained that it was a tour management decision.

"Kaif was dropped after consulting vice-captain Dravid and coach Chappell. All of them agreed to the decision," he said.

Looking forward to the packed international season ahead, the stylish left-hander said the Indian team had to take one series at a time and needed to play good, hard cricket.

"We have to take one series at a time. We need to play good, hard cricket as we will be facing very good teams. We will be playing Sri Lanka at home, then tour Pakistan and play England at home before going to the West Indies. It's going to be tough and we need to get our act together.

"It is important that the team does well regardless of whoever leads the team," he added.

Ganguly agreed with Sachin Tendulkar's views that discussions in the dressing room should not come out in the open.

"Yes, I agree dressing room discussion should remain within the dressing room only," the Indian captain said when asked for a reaction.

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