The Man-O-Nine lives

Sourav Ganguly has had many lives. Or so it had seemed so far. The way he has always been able to put two and two together to make a five, h...

Sourav Ganguly has had many lives. Or so it had seemed so far. The way he has always been able to put two and two together to make a five, has always shown his fighting side. Sujit Bhar takes a look.

In the Indian Oil Cup in Sri Lanka a Powell bouncer struck Sourav in the arm and he retired hurt, having scored two and faced 12 deliveries.

In the final, Sourav was back, fit, and he fielded with gusto, though he managed to score only 26. India lost by 18 runs.

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In Zimbabwe, the injury in the warm-up. Doubts abound about fitness and form, the laboured century notwithstanding.

Now let us look at the possibilities:

Oct. 13: Captain selection — Sourav in rehab. Dravid should be skipper, automatically.

Oct. 14: Team selection — Sourav in rehab. Dravid, as skipper, is part of the selection process, with Greg Chappell’s views also in frame. Any guesses on whose writ will run?

NOTE: (a) Questions will be asked about the defeat in Sri Lanka where, in a part, Sourav played under Dravid. (b) Where will Sourav fit in, if the existing batsmen in positions 3 to 5 have performed well?

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Oct. 17: Last scheduled day of rehab. Should be available if fit.

Oct. 19 to 21: National camp in Bangalore for those selected.

NOTE: Sachin has already preferred the camp over the Duleep Trophy and he has yet to be selected.

Oct. 20 to 23: Duleep Trophy, East Zone v North Zone in Rajkot. Sourav has been named East Zone skipper. What if Sourav does perform, for a change?

Oct. 25 to Nov. 12: Lanka in India.

Impossible for Sourav to push in from the third ODI? Looks like a Formula One race through a Kolkata alley?

But he has done it before.