By IANS,
Kolkata : Gung-ho over Sourav Ganguly’s hundred in the second Test against Australia Saturday, his fans here have demanded that the Indian cricket board urge the talismanic cricketer to reconsider his decision to retire.
Ganguly’s fans burst crackers, distributed sweets, smeared each other with coloured powder and garlanded his photographs in various parts of the city soon after the left-hander completed his 16th Test ton at Mohali.
“Dada is great. He has shown his class in Mohali. Look at the way he is playing in the series. He can still play for India for five years,” said an exuberant fan amidst scenes of merriment near Ganguly’s residence at Behala in the southern outskirts of the city.
At Kalighat, youth offered puja in temples and conducted yagnas (religious offerings) praying that Ganguly withdraw his retirement decision.
Anger was palpable among some city youth, who complained the local boy was pushed to retirement by the selectors and the board because of the ill-treatment meted to him during the last couple of years.
“He was dropped time and again even when he got runs. When the other seniors failed, the powers that be kept mum. But Dada was always under the scanner. How can they treat a legend like this?” asked a youth in his mid-20s.