Former fast bowler Javagal Srinath on Wednesday said international career of Sourav Ganguly was not finished yet and the ex-skipper of India should take a break to come back fresh in the team.
"The career of Ganguly is far from over. I think he needs to take a break and come back fresh. In today's set up, you cannot shut the door on anyone," Srinath said.
The former pace spearhead, accompanied by MRF Pace foundation Chief TA Sekhar, was in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day camp to hunt for fast bowling talent from the region.
Srinath also said leg-spinner Anil Kumble had a lot to contribute to the shorter version of game and he should be a part of the team for next year's World Cup.
"Kumble should be an integral part of the Indian team at the 2007 World Cup in West Indies based on his performance and he still has an important role to play," Srinath told reporters on the sidelines of the camp.
Srinath was all praise for the young pace bowlers, saying they were all shaping up well but refuse to predict if they would be able to pose a strong challenge in the World Cup next year.
{{/usCountry}}Srinath was all praise for the young pace bowlers, saying they were all shaping up well but refuse to predict if they would be able to pose a strong challenge in the World Cup next year.
{{/usCountry}}"(Irfan) Pathan, Sreesanth, RP Singh and Munaf Patel have been performing well at the international level," he said.
On the players' burn out due to excessive cricket, Srinath said cricketers in the age group of 23 to 28 years can play any number of games they like.
He also said introducing the youngsters into international arena at early age would benefit them, especially the fast bowlers.
"The fast bowlers get a new sense of direction if they are exposed to international cricket at a young age. They learn a lot while playing and know which areas they need to improve upon," he said.
The Bangalorean refused to be drawn into the controversy with regard to his appointment as the match referee by the International Cricket Council.
"I would not like to comment on that," he said when asked his reaction on criticism of his appointment, reported by a section of Pakistan media.
Srinath and Sekhar, who played together for India in a couple of Test matches and few one-day internationals in 1983, were overwhelmed by the beauty of Kashmir and the picturesque scenes at the Sher-E-Kashmir cricket stadium.
"It is absolutely beautiful... This is one of most picturesque grounds in India," said Srinath, visiting Kashmir for the first time.