Ganguly given a raw deal: Amarnath

He said that the former skipper had not received the treatment commensurate with his contribution to the game.

Former cricketer Mohinder Amarnath pitched in for Sourav Ganguly saying that the former skipper had not received the treatment commensurate with his contribution to the game.

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The former all-rounder, who lost out in the race for the post of India's coach to Greg Chappell, said that Ganguly was not given enough chance to prove his mettle before he was left out from the squad for the first Test against England starting on March 1.

"In Pakistan also, Ganguly was included only in two Test matches and later on kept out (of the ODI series) without any specific reason for the same," Amarnath said.

He said that that before handing out such treatment to a senior player, his contribution to the team should always be kept in mind by the selectors.

Amarnath also adviced Ganguly to keep playing in the domestic matches as he had the ability to make a comeback.

"He should continue to prove himself by playing in domestic cricket to pave way for his comeback."

Amarnath also said that Indian Cricket Board should have more former players in its ranks as currently politicians and industrialists have dominated the Board, which was not good for cricket.

"For the overall improvement of the game, former players, who have already proved their mettle on the ground and understand the technicalities of the game should be taken into the board," said Amarnath.

He said that politics have shadowed the state cricket associations giving the example of Bihar, where two associations were at loggerheads.

"I do not know what good such politics can do for the betterment of the game," he quipped.

About India's prospect in the 2007 World Cup, Amarnath, a World Cup winner himself, said, "after the team's performance in recently played ODI series with South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the morale of the team was high and it should continue till next year."