Sourav issue is passe: Sehwag

Someone lobbed Sourav Ganguly as a question. And Virender Sehwag surprised all with his reply, quite like the first time he uppercut for six over third-man. India's most successful captain was past, he said. Time we looked ahead, to 2007.

This was as removed from the Indian cricket establishment's penchant for politically correct statements (like Ganguly and everyone else similarly dumped still has hope) and platitudes as cricket is from croquet. And it came on a day when Ganguly had come visiting. And at a time when burning effigies of Greg Chappell and Kiran More - some people carried out the charade here on Monday too - was becoming staid, repetitive and therefore not worthy of much media attention.

Till the poser came along, Sehwag was taking the questions well. Quite like the man in form he isn't now. Then, someone asked: "Now that India are already 4-0 up in the series, can it be said India are over the Ganguly episode?" Sehwag could have ducked the question and nobody would have given it a second thought, used as the media are to dour replies from our icons. He did anything but.

"We have already forgotten that. That is past now. There are a lot of youngsters coming into the team and we are looking forward to the World Cup," he replied.

Having got him to bite the bait once, someone tried again. "Is there a chance for Ganguly to get in the World Cup squad?" This time Sehwag was watchful and non-committal. "That's up to the selectors to decide," the Najafgarh Nawab said.

Ganguly had led Team India to the final in the last World Cup. He was dropped from the one-day side last year amid widespread protests. The southpaw was included for the Test series against Pakistan but dropped against England from both forms of the game. And while Sehwag was taking the questions, Ganguly was here. The former India skipper was apparently here for a meeting with the Tata managing director B Muthuraman and left for Kolkata soon after.

Sehwag also said that the board should look into offering better facilities for spectators. "Even here the ground is top class. But for the fans it's not so good. The stands are not covered and it's definitely not comfortable for fans in this heat," he said.