'Rahul Dravid is doing a great job as captain' - Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly says he will perform any role if picked for the Indian team © Getty Images

Sourav Ganguly, the deposed Indian captain, praised his successor Rahul Dravid and declared that he was prepared to play in any position and perform any role if taken back into the national squad.

"Rahul Dravid is doing a great job as captain," Ganguly told mediapersons after a practice session in Kolkata. Asked how he rated his chances of coming back to the squad in the near future, Ganguly said, "I am playing domestic cricket. I am laying stress on fitness. My past record is also there." Asked if he was eyeing the slot of an allrounder to make a comeback to the squad, Ganguly said he was prepared to fit into any role the team desired of him. "I have taken 14/15 wickets in the Duleep Trophy. I also scored a hundred. I am willing to play at any position. I am prepared to perform any role that the team wants me to."

On whether his confidence was boosted by Ranbir Singh Mahendra's, the BCCI president, comments that the doors of the Indian team have not been shut on him, Ganguly said, "I don't want to react to this. I only want to continue scoring runs. But yes, it does feel good to hear such encouraging words".

Cautious not to court any controversy, Ganguly skipped queries on Virender Sehwag's form, and whether he would make any changes in the squad if he returned as captain. "Performance of the team does not depend on the coach or captain or any individual player. All the players in the squad have to perform well for the team to come up with a good show," he said.

Ganguly, however, dismissed the criticism that he had problems with short pitched deliveries, saying his record was there for all to see. "Every batsman has his weak spot. But despite his weakness, if one has scored 14,000 to 15,000 runs in top class cricket, then I think nobody should complain," he said. Ganguly also said it was perfectly logical that performance should be the yardstick in deciding team compositions. "Not only Sourav, Dravid or Sachin (Tendulkar), all the players have to perform well to be picked for the team."