Ganguly blames former selection committee for his retirement

Kolkata, Oct 9 (UNI) Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has blamed the previous Dilip Vengsarkar-led selection committee for his decision to retire.

''There is no point playing like this. I am not willing to play at their (selectors') mercy. They will pick you now and then dump you. Why should I be the sacrificial goat all the time? It was difficult to accept,'' Ganguly was quoted as saying by Bengali daily 'Aaj Kaal'.

''If a gun is held at your head, how far can you bear it. That too after playing 450 matches. I played badly in only one series.

But others are not dropped. I have scored the highest number of runs after comeback,'' the left-handed batsman, who announced his retirement from international cricket on October 7 at Bangalore added.

Ganguly further added that his cricketing carrer is coming closer to its end and it is becoimg tough to handle the humiliation just for playing one more year.

''How long would I have played? May be upto 2009. May be seven more Tests. For that I was not prepared to take any more humiliation,'' he added.

The 'Prince of Kolkata' stated that his exclusion from the Rest of India squad was clear indication to hang up his boots.

''I never thought I will be out of the Irani team. I couldn't sleep for one month in anger, agony. Had this committee (new selection committee) come three years ago, things might have been different,'' he rued.

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