da poker： As soon as its doors open, the TV crews make a beeline there from their vantagepoints. Sourav Ganguly gets out quietly, picks up his kitbag from theboot, and wheels in into the practice area
da brdice： Dileep Premachandran in Potchefstroom05-Dec-2006
Sourav Ganguly has joined the Indian team ahead of the practice match at Potchefstroom beginning December 7 © AFP
At 10 past eleven on a hot and dry day at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom, aMercedes minivan pulls up a few feet away from the outdoor nets. As soonas its doors open, the TV crews make a beeline there from their vantagepoints. Sourav Ganguly gets out quietly, picks up his kitbag from theboot, and wheels in into the practice area.Initially no one sees him, all of them occupied midway through a session.Then, as he sets his kitbag down and set about opening it, Munaf Patelturns around. He stares wide-eyed for a minute and then extends his hand.Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had been chatting to Munaf just moments earlier,follows suit. ‘You drove straight from the airport?” asks Dhoni. Gangulyjust nods, and half smiles.Ian Frazer, who had just been lobbing balls to Rahul Dravid in a net keptapart from the others, is next to see him. He too goes up and shakes hishand, sharing a few words. Greg Chappell is having a quiet word in GautamGambhir’s ear when he spots Ganguly. Ganguly crosses the few metres thatseparate them and they shake hands. “Welcome back, mate,” says Chappell.”Glad you made it.”Dravid has just finished a small session with Frazer and Greg Kingthrowing them down when he wanders across to meet the man he replaced asIndia’s captain. They chat for a couple of minutes, both men gazing in thedirection of the batsmen and bowlers engaged in the nets.Soon after, Ganguly breaks away to see to his equipment. The SG thigh padcomes out, and he puts his bat, gloves, pads and helmet on the grass inreadiness for what will be his first experience of South African pitchesin nearly four years. As he pads up, Irfan Pathan spots him and waves.Ganguly waves back. After nearly a year away from the limelight,he’s back. Only time will tell if he still belongs.
