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Ganguly Leads The Way
By Gaurang
September 2 2007
Recently some arm-chair experts have tried to implicate Sourav Ganguly for India’s recent indifferent ODI results in England. First of all it must be clarified that India has had pretty good ODI results since Ganguly has returned to the side, the recent indifferent results against England notwithstanding.
In 2007 Ganguly has so far played 19 matches which had results with his team winning 63 percent (12 out of 19) of the matches. Only two of the matches won this year while Ganguly played have been against “minnow” teams: Bermuda in the World Cup and Ireland in Belfast. The rest of the 10 wins have come against proper opposition.

Interestingly Ganguly was “rested” for the relatively easy matches against Bangladesh in Bangladesh and the one-off match against Scotland in Scotland, otherwise his Win/Loss figures, as well as personal statistics, would almost certainly be even more impressive.

Now, lets look at the raw data. In twelve wins Ganguly has averaged 67 and in seven losses he has averaged 33. Clearly when he does well, India do well. But let us take an even closer look to see how important his contributions have been.

The first quite amazing statistic is that in each of these twelve wins Ganguly has scored in double figures, with a lowest score of 13 and highest score of 98. Additionally, nine out of twelve times he has reached forty runs or more.

Even more amazingly only twice was he the first player dismissed in these twelve matches, and India’s score was 134 and 113 on the two occasions when he was the first batsman dismissed. On the 10 other occasions it was his partner who was the first one dismissed.

But even thrice when his partner was dismissed very early, i.e. with the team score in single digits, Ganguly and the next man then added 31, 202, 162. So in addition to the three 100+ run opening stands Ganguly had with his opening partner, he had another two huge 150+ runs stands with the next man in.

Clearly Ganguly has proved the catalyst at the top of the innings to set India up for wins, whether setting a target or chasing for a win. And the number of times India has won setting up a target or chasing is nearly equal with seven wins batting first and five wins chasing.

Now let us see what happens when Ganguly is dismissed early. In the seven matches India have lost in 2007 with Ganguly in the team, he has still managed to average a relatively decent 33 runs per innings, with three fifties in those seven matches. However, unlike in the twelve matches won where he was never dismissed in single digits, here Ganguly was thrice dismissed in single figures.

Additionally four times out of seven, Ganguly was the first batsman dismissed. In the three matches he was not dismissed first, he ended up scoring fifties. But in these matches he was trying to piece together an innings in tatters, with the second wicket falling in the twenties and on one ocassion five batsmen dismissed with only seventy odd on the board.

On the other two occasions he ended up adding a hundred runs or more for the third wicket and left the team needing 90 odd runs to score with about 120 odd deliveries to go and six or more wickets in hand. So clearly, it was not entirely his fault that India failed to chase down those runs.

It is quite fashionable among the superficial observers of the game, and those with an agenda, or an axe to grind, to try and blame Sourav Ganguly for all sorts of problems with the Indian team, but clearly he is not the source of India’s batting woes. Indeed, he has been a key batsman whenever India has succeeded.

If one criticism can be made of Ganguly, it is that he has failed to carry on to a really big score after reaching at least forty in twelve out of the nineteen matches he has played since returning to the side. But no criticism can be made about the way he has been the vital glue, holding the brittle Indian batting together at the top of the innings. When the glue is missing, almost always the batting then crumbles.

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2 Sep, 2007 02:30 Report
Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged)
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Ganguly Leads The Way
Ganguly Leads The Way

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1 Sep, 2007 22:43 Report
ananthd (IP Logged)
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Re: New Article: Ganguly Leads The Way
Birb:
where did you get this 64% number?

Ganguly has played 20 ODIs this year, with his team winning 12.

That makes it 60%. Two of the wins were all-star(exhibition) games for the Asia-X1 in the Afro-Asia cup.

The India percentage dips to 55%(10/18) against all teams and
50%(8/16) against non-minnow teams.

I am of the opinion that the oldies shouldn't be chucked out immediately but piecemeal. My only issue with Ganguly is that he fails to rotate the strike(mainly because of his poor running) especially when he struggles early. I'm ok with his strike rate.

And the other issue(this is not Ganguly's fault) is that he is being underused as a bowler. He can be Collingwood like and break partnerships or atleast fulfill the partial fifth bowler role with regularity.

THIS ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THIS INDIAN TEAM: they seem to not have a plan when they go in to bat or field regarding the batting or bowling lineup and most decisions seem to be taken seat of the pants rather than at the beginning of the match/beginning of the innings.

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1 Sep, 2007 22:48 Report
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Re: New Article: Ganguly Leads The Way
HIS team...whether India or Asia XI won 12 and lost 7 when he played for them in 2007... that is where the 63% figure comes from...

If you look at only his games for India it is won 10 lost 7... but then he was KEPT OUT for two games against Bangladesh and one game against Scotland...so I don't feel bad about including the 2 games he played for Asia XI in the Afro-Asia Cup...



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007:09:01:22:52:37 by Birbal.

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1 Sep, 2007 22:50 Report
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Re: New Article: Ganguly Leads The Way
Yes he should back up better at the non-strikers end and maybe take a few more singles...but that is minor compared to him being dismissed early and India crumbling as my analysis shows...



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1 Sep, 2007 23:14 Report
ananthd (IP Logged)
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Re: New Article: Ganguly Leads The Way
No I don't it is minor; it is extremely important. Again I agree that Ganguly's strike rate is perfectly acceptable since he is frequently able to score in boundaries. However sometimes he occupies the bulk of the strike and that is the more pressing problem. I think it leads to the other batter who is being deprived of the strike going for too much(see for example the Edgbaston ODI; Ganguly had taken 40 balls of the first 10 overs and Tendulkar went for an upper cut trying to clear a packed offside field).

Note that has nothing to do with backing up while being a non-striker but just the opposite. When he is on strike and struggling to pierce the field, he usually cannot tap it close for a quick single so that his partner gets the strike. That is the thing that bothers me about his game.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2007:09:01:23:20:36 by ananthd.

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2 Sep, 2007 00:27 Report
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Re: New Article: Ganguly Leads The Way
Kya lun article hai...No mention of SR..no mention of failing to rotate the strike..and not giving india...a rocking start...
during Power plays..

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2 Sep, 2007 07:00 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Rocking starts..? WTF are you talking about?

If he goes India get ROCKED all right...then usually they just CRUMBLE...



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007:09:02:07:02:05 by Birbal.

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2 Sep, 2007 18:07 Report
Birbal (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Showed his worth again today...

Yet ANOTHER century opening stand... yet another time the OTHER guy dismissed first... yet again he scored over 40... i.e. in 10 out of 13 matches won with him in the side...he has scored over 40...

And yet again FAILS to get the BIG score...

Oh well I will take a guy who almost ALWAYS scores 40+ anyday..

His bowling was a bonus...a very BIG bonus...



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2 Sep, 2007 18:14 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
His bowling in this match showed again that Dravid MISSED a huge trick when he didn't bowl him at all in previous matches...

But because he had picked 5 bowlers...Dravid felt COMPELLED to give the five "bowlers" chances...never mind one or two were getting PLONKED all over the park



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2 Sep, 2007 19:02 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Soon to Join Tendu and Jayasurya in the 10,000+ runs 100+ wickets and 100+ catches club...



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2 Sep, 2007 19:09 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
wish he had scored 10000 runs on Test Cricket....where the skills..temperament..and attitude is tested...

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2 Sep, 2007 19:12 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Well he led India to more WINS than any other TEst player...I'll take that and 6000 odd Test runs...



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5 Sep, 2007 19:42 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
And once again... he holds the TOP order together...



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6 Sep, 2007 00:29 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Has anybody been as consistent as Gangs this year?



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6 Sep, 2007 00:41 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
he has scored 1000 runs this year in ODIs at avg of 55...not counting the last ODI at OVAL.. great comeback...

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9 Sep, 2007 12:24 Report
anu_d (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
When Ganguly fails India Loses.....applies to all the matches in this series and pretty much on most of UK tour

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9 Sep, 2007 13:04 Report
goose (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
that's because his runs are a BONUS !

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9 Sep, 2007 16:25 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Gangs has been fantastic this year, but his S/R can improve.

In the 2nd ODI, Ganguly scored 39, which in my mind is a failure. India went on to win that ODI.

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9 Sep, 2007 18:09 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
he scored over 100+ runs with Tendulkar for first wicket at nearly 6 rpo...that is NOT a failure...



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9 Sep, 2007 19:16 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
thats because SRT was on fire. A score of 39 is by no means a succesful outing - especially as an opener.

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9 Sep, 2007 19:40 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Partnerships are what count...and not losing early wickets...

Since his return, whenever India lost Ganguly's wicket early the rest of the line up in tha majority of instances just CAVED in... That is the point I am making... do you dispute that?



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9 Sep, 2007 22:00 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
i think he has lost his mojo to be a successful opener now...unless its a cemented road as a pitch on offer...

Team India will not gain anything if Ganguly is openers...as he is there for max 12-18 months...

Ganguly should concentrate his energy in Tests...

he has become a sort of Joke in ODIs...which was evident in 7th match...

disgraceful...is the least `humiliating word which can describe his innings..

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9 Sep, 2007 22:46 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
He has contributed to solid starts; no doubt about it - however his S/R needs improvement.

He deserves to be in the ODI team, but such an experienced player (who has a history of taking on attacks) needs a better strike rate.

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9 Sep, 2007 23:57 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
He is playing a role... and unless you can find a player who either can have a average... of 40+ and a much better strike rate to open... Ganguly with his average of 55+ and strike rate of 72+ is what India will have to depend on to partner Sachin who does have an average of 40+ and a strike rate in the mid 80s..

As I showed in the article he has scored at least a 40+ score in 11 out of 14 matches India has won with him in the team... that is an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING statistic....



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007:09:09:23:59:22 by Birbal.

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13 Sep, 2007 01:41 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
This is what S. Dinkar in Sportstar had to say...

"India relies too heavily on starts and its three victories in the series were achieved after Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly had laid a solid platform. If the rest of the batsmen were exposed early to the new ball, the Indian batting tended to come apart. This is a very worrying sign, since Tendulkar and Ganguly are not getting any younger.

Rolling the years back, Tendulkar batted with great poise and timing and had it not been for an umpring error by Aleem Dar at Lord’s, could have ended his last tour of England in a blaze of glory. Ganguly, shrewdly, played second fiddle to an inspired Tendulkar and bowled a crafty spell at Leeds.



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2 Oct, 2007 18:01 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Bump in light of Anu_D's post



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2 Oct, 2007 18:04 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
so much for youngster's theory....dhoni knew if he chose to bat first and if tendu goes early his team would have collapsed for 150.....20-20 score....hopefully he learns from his mistakes...

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2 Oct, 2007 18:06 Report
Birbal (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Quote:
.dhoni knew if he chose to bat first and if tendu goes early his team would have collapsed for 150.....20-20 score....

Yes it seemed that way...

Actually there was some moisture in the pitch... so it kinda made sense to bowl first...

But then one should have batted much, much better in the afternoon when the conditions for batting were much better too...



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2 Oct, 2007 20:36 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Wonder if Ganguly will play in Hyderabad?



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3 Oct, 2007 21:18 Report
Birbal (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Apparently it depends on a fitness test in the nets...



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5 Oct, 2007 17:07 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Way back nearly a month ago I wrote:

Posted by: Birbal
Date: 09 September, 2007 20:40


Partnerships are what count...and not losing early wickets...

Since his return, whenever India lost Ganguly's wicket early the rest of the line up in tha majority of instances just CAVED in... That is the point I am making... do you dispute that?



But, guess in Indian cricket they don't believe in not tinkering with something if it is working...

Ganguly and TEndulkar and their fANTASTIC strats is what gave India all of their THREE wins...

What do Indian selectors do...promptly break up the winning combo...

It is the middle and lower middle order that was SUCKING but they keep tinkering with the opening pair...



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007:10:05:17:09:12 by Birbal.

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8 Oct, 2007 13:48 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
bump...



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8 Oct, 2007 15:48 Report
Birbal (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Another 40 plus score from Ganguly and another India Win...



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11 Oct, 2007 13:43 Report
Birbal (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
And when Ganguly went cheaply...the rest of the batsmen bar Tendulkar... collapsed in a heap...

Proves the point again...



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23 Jan, 2008 03:28 Report
Birbal (IP Logged)
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
This should be eye opening to a few ...

Without Tendu and Gangs at the top... India will struggle big time...

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23 Jan, 2008 18:33 Report
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Re: Ganguly Leads The Way
Ganguly was the reason that INdia had a decent 2007 despite being booted from the world cup...and being routed in South Africa...

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