The Return of the King

by GIOVANNI TORRE

SOURAV GANGULY is a bastard, and a bastard is exactly what India needed this week. After a humiliating series of floggings by South Africa in the one-day series, the teetering Indian team turned to the long-banished former captain.

Ganguly, right off the plane and long-absent from the international arena, smacked 83 against South Africa A in a tour match while the top order disintegrated around him. It was a message to the South Africans and rival teams everywhere - "I'm back from the dead, and this is why you didn't miss me."

In the first test, the still-imperious Ganguly strode out to the crease with India at 4/110. With steely determination he held out the rampaging South African pace bowlers and then struck back - hard. The next morning, batting with the tail, he faced a barrage of chin music from blokes who'd obviously heard he couldn't play the short stuff. Ganguly ducked a nasty Makhaya Ntini bouncer and gave the quick a long cool look. Getting into position early for the next short ball, he let rip with a pull and that landed the ball way in the crowd at mid-wicket.

Napoleon once said character counted for more than material forces on the battle field. Ganguly was showing his character with that big six; "Want to bounce me? Bounce me. I'll duck the ones I want to duck, I will flay the ones I want to flay."

Ganguly seemed to lift the players around him, putting on 44 for the last wicket with VRV Singh who hit 29 off 19 balls. He scored 51 not out to lead India to 249.

India were absolutely ruthless with the ball, Sree Sreesanth went beserk and they fielded like jaguars - smashing South Africa for 84.

Then in the second knock, Ganguly came in with India 4/61 and made a solid 25 to provide Laxman (73) some stability while everyone else was dropping like flies. Gangles and Laxman put on 58 for the fifth wicket in a very low-scoring game.

Early in South Africa's second innings, Dravid threw Ganguly the ball. A tidy but usually gentle medium pacer, The King steamed in, eyes blazing, and let fly with a vicious bouncer that struck Jacques Kallis in the chest - followed up with a stare for good measure. The King usually bowls at around 125 km/h, but he poured his heart and soul - and dare I say it, every drop of rage - into that ball which smacked and stunned the big South African number four. It was another statement: "Ntini isn't the only one who can bowl bouncers around here".

India went on to score an historic victory.

Ganguly's presence affected other, younger players. VRV Singh's arrogantly pasted the South African attack from number 11, Sree Sreesanth hit a monster six back over Andre Nel's head in response to some sleding and then wind-milled his bat while doing a little dance past a clearly rattled Nel, the non-stop banter, the fierce pace bowling, the lively fielding. It was as if The King was teaching them how to react to the smell of blood - how to go in for the kill, how to grind the enemy into the dust psychologically.

Ganguly was the man for the job. Remember the 2003/04 series when Tendulkar was out of form but India was still 1-1 and only needed to draw the series to keep the Border-Gavaskar trophy? Ganguly had his team bat and bat and bat - making over 700 and destroying any chance of a result. He declared when Tendulker - who remember was out of form - smacked Lee for four to bring up 242 not out - and to take Lee to 4/202. It was yet another statement from an imperious bastard: "We only need to draw to keep the trophy, so we will make 700. And as for you, Lee - we can hit you for 200 runs in an innings."

Long live The King.

20 December 2006

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