Sourav Ganguly will be back in the commentary box after a stint with the Delhi Capitals, to continue his forever-love story with England. From that debut hundred at Lord’s to the NatWest win, Ganguly always starred in England. And now with Dona, his wife, and Sana, his daughter, both residents of London, England has become a second home for Ganguly. He looked fresh after his evening walk as he settled down to speak to Debasis Sen in this exclusive conversation for RevSportz.
Debasis: You are back in the commentary box, and all of us are looking forward to listening to you again. So, would you be behind the mike for the Ashes as well?
Sourav: No, it is just this one-off Test. I am going back to Kolkata on the 18th. I will just be commentating for this one-off Test match, and it is a very special contest. A WTC final is a very important Test match for world cricket.
Debasis: Everyone is saying Australia are ahead. Former Aussie captains like Ricky Ponting, for example, have said Australia certainly have their nose ahead going into the final.
Sourav: Not at all. How is Australia ahead? By what logic? India has beaten Australia in Australia in 2018 and 2021. We have travelled down under, and beaten Australia. We have also beaten Australia at home. So we have beaten them in all kinds of conditions. This is a one-off Test, and whoever plays better and deals with pressure better will win. I don’t consider Australia to be ahead in any way.
Debasis: Let’s get to the team combination. First thing is the choice of wicketkeeper. Who would you go with, Ishan [Kishan] or [KS] Bharat?
Sourav: Rishabh Pant is a massive loss. He is an out-and-out match-winner for India, and he will be badly missed. Having said that, I think KS Bharat will be playing in the final because this selection is indicative of Rahul Dravid’s mindset. I wish him well because his contribution will be important for India.
Debasis: When you mention Pant, India will also miss [Jasprit] Bumrah.
Sourav: Yes, he is a match-winner, and will surely be missed. Australia too will be missing [Josh] Hazlewood. India have [Mohammed] Shami and [Mohammed] Siraj, who are both in very good form, and Australia have [Mitchell] Starc, [Pat] Cummins and [Scott] Boland. Both the bowling attacks are evenly matched. I reckon Shardul [Thakur] might get a look in, because he is a handy bat as well.
Debasis: And what about the spinners? Many are saying India should go in with their best bowlers, and Ashwin must play. What are your thoughts?
Sourav: [Ravindra] Jadeja will play as a batting all-rounder here. His batting is second to none, so he will be a very important batter. [Ravichandran] Ashwin must play. He is your best spinner, and is a quality bowler in any conditions. And he is a handy bat as well. So I would definitely say two spinners. Also, when you all say the wicket looks green, and ask why should India go in with two spinners, please note that you won’t know much about the wicket by seeing it a day earlier. Even on the morning, they can shave the grass off and it can be a very different surface. In England, you don’t know much about the wicket by seeing it two days in advance.
Debasis: Will it then be the Indian batting that will decide the game, you think?
Sourav: It is very important that India bats well. You need to score 350-400 in the first innings. If you bat well in the first innings, you will go on to win the game. If you don’t bat well, then it’s a different thing. India have the team. We have been much better than Australia in the last five years, and the statistics are proof of what I am saying. India need to do it again these five days and if they can, they will win the final.
Debasis: The Test match is a sell-out. There is massive interest. People are coming in from all across the world to watch the game. It is proof that Test cricket is well and truly alive?
Sourav: Test cricket has to be protected and nurtured. It is the pinnacle of all forms of cricket, and if you need cricket to be in good health, you need Test cricket to prosper. All the other formats feed off Test cricket, and that’s how cricket will develop. It is not just this Test match. It will be followed by the Ashes, and each of the five Tests will see sell-out crowds. That’s what the game is all about. It will test you. The ball will seam in England, bounce in Australia, swing in New Zealand and spin in India. Only the best would do well, you see.
Debasis: So may we then say that India start on an equal footing?
Sourav: Absolutely, you can. It is about the five days, and who plays better. India has played better against Australia recently, and there is no reason why they can’t do it here.