BCCI asks Ganguly for explanation
Sourav Ganguly has received a letter from Niranjan Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, seeking an explanation for his absence from a crucial Ranji Trophy match involving Bengal and Gujarat at Surat
Cricinfo staff
27-Dec-2005
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Only a day after Kiran More, the national selection committee chairman, showed his disapproval at Ganguly missing the match, sources from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) have stated that a "two-line letter" addressed to Ganguly was received by the player himself.
The Indian Express reports that the letter was not addressed to Jagmohan Dalmiya, the CAB president, or Saradindu Pal, its joint secretary. Pal remained non-committal on the matter, stating that he had spoken to Ganguly. "I spoke to Sourav last Friday, the day before the Indian team for Pakistan was selected," he said. "He told me he'd missed Bengal's Delhi match, and would also not play the Gujarat match because of unavoidable personal reasons."
Pal also stated that he had been trying to contact Ganguly since December 24 - the day the Indian squad was selected - but had no luck in doing so. Dalmiya, having earlier stated that Ganguly had missed the match against Gujarat for "logistical, and not personal" reasons, refused to comment on the matter today.
Ganguly's absence from the match seems to have agitated the BCCI, given that More emphasized that it was important to members of the Indian team to "engage in domestic matches as much as possible" prior to their departure to Pakistan on January 5. Speculation remains as to whether the message was passed on to Ganguly.
Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan and VVS Laxman turned out for their respective state sides in the ongoing fifth round of the Ranji Trophy.