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Give moral support to Sourav: Kapil

But the former Indian skipper maintained that one shouldn't hesitate to drop Ganguly at a later stage if it is in the best interest of Indian cricket.

Published on: Apr 9, 2005, 10:48:00 IST
PTI | By , Bangalore
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Coming out in support of Sourav Ganguly, former skipper Kapil Dev on Friday said the India captain should be given some more time at the helm but maintained that one should not hesitate to drop him at a later stage if it is in the best interest of Indian cricket.

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HT Image

Asked for his views on critics gunning for Ganguly, who has been having a poor run with the bat in recent times, Kapil said for a player of Ganguly's calibre who has done well for the country, one has to look at the issue "slightly differently".

"All the cricketers go through rough times. I think a player of his calibre who is looking after the team, you have to look at it slightly differently," Kapil told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference.

"It's our duty to give him moral support because he has done wonderfully well for the country."

He went on to add that "one can always manage... One can always try to get the best for the country. Whatever best for the country, one should do it. It does not matter whether he (Ganguly) should be there or not."

"It (captaincy) is the matter what country requires at this stage. One should do what's important and good for the country. Man of his calibre who has done well, he should always have time before we do take any step of that sort," Kapil said.

Asked if he thought Ganguly should step down from captaincy, Kapil said it's for the Kolkatan to decide on it.

"He is the national captain. Step down? Only he can decide. The team management should sit and discuss what's best for the country, and we should not try to see what he (Ganguly) is going through... Right or wrong."

"Right now, we need somebody to look after the team. We don't want to see what happened 15 years ago when every three months you changed the captain," he said.

Kapil said that any captain should be allowed to have his "innings" and there should not be a situation where the person who had been captain is called back again to lead the team.

"We should take steps (on the captaincy issue) with a conscious mind and make sure it should help the country whatever we do. It's for the Board to discuss and do whatever for the betterment of Indian cricket."

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