Sourav Ganguly exults the dismissal of Shoaib Malik on Saturday

Kochi: It wasn?t a pleasant question, but Sourav Ganguly took it head-on.

?Are you thinking of a break to get back your form?? asked one of the locals at the post-match Media conference on Saturday.

For a second or two, there was silence. Then, the Team India captain calmly answered: ?No, I?m not... I can?t, after all, get back form by sitting at home... I need to play and one innings will make the difference...?

There was no follow-up, not even from the gentleman who ?linked? Sourav?s ?bad days? to India?s ?good days.?

In the opening ODI here, Sourav shaped to flick but found his leg-stump uprooted by Rana Naved-ul Hasan. Worse, the dismissal came on the first ball ? and, after just 48 runs in the three-Test series.

?I know the importance of leading from the front, but these phases can?t be avoided... I was upset on getting out, but that didn?t put me off for the day... I had to recover as I had a job in the afternoon,? Sourav told The Telegraph.

Did the handsome (87-run) win actually come as a relief ? given he had himself failed?

?No... As I?ve said, this is going to happen... What?s important is that I remain positive and look ahead with confidence... I haven?t stopped backing myself,? he added.

In a ?crisis?, that?s a strong statement to make.