Opening the innings could be
the turning point: Ganguly

India captain Sourav Ganguly said his decision to open the innings in the second Test against South Africa could be a turning point in his career.

"It could be the bend in my career," Ganguly said, on the eve of the second cricket Test against South Africa, which begins on Friday.

Ganguly has chosen a bold and daring course to revive the team's fortunes even if it means plunging his career into a crisis. With both Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman reluctant to open, the skipper, who has opened only once in his 47-Test career, was left with little choice but to shoulder the added burden.

"Sometimes a captain has to take the extra responsibility and lead by example," said the skipper. "I am not an escapist. Whatever happens out there, I am willing to face."

Coach John Wright admitted Dravid and Laxman were reluctant to open the innings.

"I would say yes, they were reluctant," Wright said.

"Though in Laxman's case it must be said he has opened in quite a few Tests and he has never been comfortable out there."

The coach said Dravid had volunteered to open the innings in the Bloemfontein Test. "But then you must give your best people to bat in the spots they feel comfortable... We would probably end up having more depth in oue batting," he added.

The skirting of responsibility on the part of Dravid and Laxman could be debated upon endlessly, but for Ganguly the acceptance of a new role is honourable in more ways than one.

Ganguly has not only given an insight into his confident frame of mind, he has also chosen to provide the cushion of security to two youngsters who could have also been asked to open.

Ganguly does not want Virender Sehwag or Deep Dasgupta, the two debutants of the Bloemfontein Test, being thrown into the deep and said he would rather stick his own neck out against the South African pace battery which inflicted a humiliating nine-wicket defeat on his team in the first Test.

It indeed is an extremely bold move on the part of Indian captain, who was subjected to much sneer for his handling of short-pitched bowling in the first Test, where his scores were 14 and 30.

"I am not afraid of short-pitched bowling; not at all," said Ganguly. "Let me tell you, I have been scoring runs on this tour..."

But opening the innings could be a different ball game altogether. Ganguly has got most of his 3041 runs in the middle order in his 47-Test career and in the only innings he was asked to open, he managed a score of 11 only.

"It was the Test against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 1997 and Sachin had asked me to open," recalled Ganguly. "I had scored 173 in the first innings and in the second we needed some quick runs (when I was asked to open)."

In contrast to Ganguly, Dravid has ventured to open the Indian innings in four of his 49 Tests while Laxman's tally of opening is 13 out of his 25 Tests. Both were out and out failures, with Dravid totalling only 104 at 14.86, with 31 as highest, while Laxman has scored 658 runs in 23 innings at 28.61, with one notable innings at Sydney alone producing 167.

India's tour of South Africa : Complete coverage

Mail Cricket Editor