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Ganguly to fight on

Eligible for Delhi match but selection uncertain

PALLAB BHATTACHARYA, New Delhi
The International Cricket Council said that Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was eligible to play in the last two one-day matches against Pakistan pending resolution of his appeal against a six-match suspension but Indian cricket board chose to keep him out of Friday's one-day international in Kanpur.
The ICC in a press release late on Wednesday night, said it had received the appeal from Ganguly and any cricketer could continue to play international matches till the resolution of his appeal.
Ganguly was slapped with a six-
match suspension by ICC match referee Chris Broad of England for India's slow over rate in the previous match in Ahmedabad which Pakistan won to square the series at 2-2. Earlier, the 'Prince of Kolkata' was also fined 70 per cent of his match fee for the same offence in the third ODI against Pakistan in Jamshedpur.
Indian cricket board secretary S K Nair said in a statement said yesterday that it was decided to keep Ganguly out of the side for the Kanpur match as there was not enough time left for changing the squad.
"Since there were less than 24 hours remaining for the start of the Kanpur match, the Board felt it was extremely important for the players to concentrate and focus on the
match so that they could bring out the best performance," Nair said adding "In view of this the Board decided to continue with the selected team."
Nair said the Board's stand on the team selection had been explained to Ganguly who appreciated the decision.
The Board did not spell out if 32-year-old Ganguly, out of form with the bat, would be chosen for the final one-dayer in Delhi next Sunday.
Asked if he would be playing in the Delhi match, which will be watched by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
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Ganguly told reporters in Kolkata that 'I have absolutely no idea. It is the selectors' decision. Whatever the Board asks me to do, I will do."
In his appeal against the six-match suspension, Ganguly will be assisted by legal luminary and former West Bengal Chief Minister Siddharth Shankar Ray who said the cricketer has a strong case.
Ray had successfully defended Ganguly earlier when the player was banned for two Tests by ICC match referee Clive Lloyd for the team's slow over rate in the BCCI platinum jubilee match against Pakistan in Kolkata in November last year.
Ganguly meanwhile told Outlook magazine in an interview that he has no doubts about his return to international cricket.
"I'll be back. I have no doubt about that. I will remain mentally strong," he said.
Asked about some people writing the obituary of his playing career, Ganguly said "each time people
have written me off, I've come back. I have always found strength from within, from my team mates, from the (cricket) Board and from my family."
Meanwhile, stand-in skipper Dravid said yesterday in Kanpur that Ganguly alone was not to be blamed for India's slow over rate and the players needed to address the problem urgently to avoid its repetition.
"It's a responsibility of the whole team. It's an area in which we've to do a lot better. It's not just the captain alone but the bowlers and fielders too have to be responsible," Dravid said.
"We have identified a couple of reasons (for slow over rate) and we'll discuss it in team meetings and make sure it does not happen again," he said.
Ganguly also found support from Indian Sports Minister and film actor Sunil Dutt who said he felt sorry for the cricketer. Ganguly, Dutt said,
was an able captain who brought Indian cricket to the forefront of international stage and "I hope he returns to the game soon."
Agencies add: The ICC on Friday has appointed the chairman of its code of conduct commission to hear Ganguly's appeal.
Prominent English sports lawyer Michael Beloff QC will announce his findings within the next seven days.
The other members on the commissioners' panel that includes former Australia captain and and veteran broadcaster Richie Benaud are Oliver Popplewell of England, Gamini Marapana (Sri Lanka), Albie Sachs (South Africa), Anthony Lucky (West Indies) and Clive Barnes (Zimbabwe).
Beloff has been a Member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) since 1996. He was on the CAS's ad-hoc panel for dispute-resolution during the last three Summer Olympics and the last two Commonwealth Games.