'You cannot be there forever!' Sourav Ganguly urges these star Indian cricketers to make space for youngsters

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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly suggested two of the veterans in the Indian Test team to think beyond international cricket as their time has come and need to make space for the youngsters knocking at the door.

Both Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were snubbed for India vs South Africa Test squad as the likes of Shreyas Iyer were favoured by the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar. Sourav Ganguly congratulated the two veterans for their services and backed selectors for going after fresh faces.

"At some point of time you have to play new talents. It happens, there is enormous talent in India and the team has to progress. Pujara and Rahane had enormous success for India, sport doesn't remain with you forever," Ganguly told reporters in Kolkata. "You cannot be there forever, it will happen to everyone. I must thank them what they have done for Indian cricket and selectors want fresh faces, so that's the way it is."

Sourav Ganguly also backed Rohit Sharma as the captain of Indian team in all formats till the T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies and the USA as he was impressed with the opener's captaincy during the ICC World Cup 2023 in India last month.

"Once Rohit is back playing all formats, he should be the captain of India, because he has done so well in the World Cup," said the former BCCI president. "You saw in the World Cup how well they played. They are absolutely integral and an important part of Indian cricket."

"World Cups are different than a bilateral series because the pressures are different. They have been exceptional this World Cup and hopefully six-seven months down the line in the West Indies they will be again at their best. He's (Rohit) a leader. I expect and I presume that he will continue as captain till the T20 World Cup in 2024."

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been rested for the white-ball series in South Africa and will be back for the two-Test series in South Africa beginning with the Boxing Day Test in Centurion.

"Very rightfully, they have taken a break because there is so much cricket all the time. I cannot imagine that you played a World Cup final on the 19th and in three days' time you're playing a T20I series against the same team," Ganguly said.

"It is not easy to pick yourselves up, especially with the pressures and demands of the World Cup. I'm happy that they have got a break. They will come back fresh for Tests -- there're five Tests against England -- there's IPL, and then the T20 World Cup, so it's non-stop cricket. Hopefully they'll come back fresh and keep performing."

The BCCI has also extended the contract of India head coach Rahul Dravid at least till the T20 World Cup, even though the exact duration of his second term is not yet known. It was during Ganguly's BCCI tenure that Dravid had become the head coach and the former India left-hander was happy for his teammate's contract extension.

"I'm not surprised that they have shown faith in Dravid. When I was president of the Board, we convinced him to do this job. And I'm so happy to see yesterday that his tenure has been extended.

"It was always the case, depending on whether he wanted it or not. I wish him luck for another World Cup in June. He was very close this time. They may not have won it, but they probably were the best team in the competition with the way they played. So he's got another seven months for a World Cup in the West Indies. Hopefully, at that time, he will not be runners-up, but a champion," he said.

- With inputs from PTI