BCCI selects Ganguly with retirement rider | Your say

LAST STAND: Over the last year, Ganguly has made over 1,000 runs in Tests at an average of nearly 45.

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New Delhi: Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly will be a part of the team for the first two Tests against Australia but with a rider.

Sources have told CNN-IBN that the series will be Ganguly's last who is likely to announce that he will retire after the series.

The 15-member squad, which was announced by the selection committee on Wednesday, include Anil Kumble (C), Virendra Sehwag , Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, S Badrinath, Amit Mishra and RP Singh.

The elegant left-hand Bengal batsman, who has been India's most successful skipper, was recently dropped from the Rest of India team for the Irani Trophy.

Some sections in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) want one of India's greatest ever captains to be given an "honourable exit".

The move is seen as part of a compromise formula between the BCCI and Ganguly.

Over the last year, Ganguly has made over 1,000 runs in Test cricket at an impressive average of nearly 45, which is above his career average but he was a big flop during the Sri Lanka tour and had scored less than 100 runs.

The 36-year-old Bengal stalwart, who staged a spectacular entry into Tests with a debut ton at Lord's in 1996, made a storming return to the five-day game in South Africa in late 2006 after losing his place earlier that year.

The classy left-hander amassed over 1,100 runs with 239, his career-best score, against Pakistan in Bangalore in late 2007, at an average of 61.44 last year which was way above his career average of 41.74 in 109 Tests.

He has, however, been unable to maintain the same form in the current year though he has come up with important knocks like the 87 he made against the visiting South Africans at Kanpur that helped India level the three-Test rubber in April.

This, however, was followed by the left handed stylist's poor run in Sri Lanka where his best score was 35 in six innings.

What could also go against Ganguly, who is among the few Indians who have played in over 100 Tests, is his fitness level and generally poor record against the world's best team, especially at home where he averages only 27.35 in nine matches with a best innings of 66.

Compare that to another middle order batting stalwart, Rahul Dravid, has stumbled to just over 750 runs at under 35, well below his career average.

The newly appointed selection committee panel headed by Krishnamachari Srikkanth will name the Indian squad for the first two Tests against Australia in Mumbai.

Australia play four Tests against India with the first match at Bangalore from October 9-13. The other matches are at Mohali (October 17-21), Delhi (October 29-November 2) and Nagpur (November 6-10).

(With inputs from PTI)