But Team India couldn't afford to keep a batsman of Ganguly's standing away for too long, and he was reinstated for the all-important Test series in South Africa late last year. It must be emphasised here that Ganguly returned on the strength of his reputation alone, for his form continued to leave much to be desired. But when it comes to exceptionally talented cricketers like Ganguly, form is only secondary. It's the class that is supreme. And few can match Ganguly, especially when he is on song, as far as class is concerned.
Ganguly may not be plundering runs in the manner of a Ricky Ponting or a Mohammad Yousuf, but there is little doubt about his consistency since the South Africa jaunt. What's more, he is still the same vintage Ganguly whose batting on the off, in particular, is sheer poetry. Unlike Sachin Tendulkar, who has slowed down a bit of late and also changed his approach, Ganguly is just about as brilliant as ever.
He scored 51 and 25 in the first Test at the New Wanderers in Johannesburg, which India won by 123 runs. Even Chappell had to accept that Ganguly's presence and contribution were vital to the win. However, he failed in the second Test at Kingsmead in Durban, scoring 0 and 26, and India lost by 174 runs. Though he batted well at Newlands in Cape Town, making 66 and 46, he couldn't prevent South Africa from winning the third Test by 5 wickets.
Although not selected for the One-Day Internationals against South Africa, Ganguly's was one of the first names to be penciled in when the selectors sat down to pick the Indian team for the World Cup in the West Indies earlier this year. He carried his good form to the Caribbean, scoring 66 and 89 against Bangladesh and Bermuda respectively, but India was thrown out of the quadrennial event in the first round itself. Importantly, he was back as an opener in the shorter version of the game.
Also see: Not the way to treat Ganguly
India in the United Kingdom 2007
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