Sourav Ganguly

Calcutta: Till late on Monday, there was no announcement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), but president Sharad Pawar told a TV channel that he would have a dialogue with Sourav Ganguly.

“I will meet Sourav, find out what he has in mind and hear what he has to say,” is what he said.

At the same time, Pawar expressed “full faith” in the (senior) selection committee which dumped the former Team India captain after last week’s Kotla Test.

For the meeting to be meaningful, it has to be scheduled before December 23, the earliest when the squad for Pakistan can be picked.

[In Ahmedabad, meanwhile, one-time supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya again called for Pawar’s “intervention” ? this time to ensure Sourav was on the January 6 flight to Pakistan.]

Sourav wasn’t available for a comment, but somebody close to the Gangulys suggested he would “promptly respond” if anybody sought his availability for an appointment with Pawar.

Former president and Pawar ally Inderjit Singh Bindra, though, is of the opinion Sourav should himself take it up from here.

“Mr Pawar has gone on record? Now, it’s for Sourav to make a call? I haven’t been acting as an emissary for either as I don’t set up meetings? In any case, both are adults and don’t need anybody as a go-between,” he remarked.

Speaking to The Telegraph from New Delhi, Bindra added: “Sourav’s contribution has been immense and, if he has something to say, he must communicate with Mr Pawar. However, there won’t be interference in matters of selection.”

Assuming a one-on-one does take place quickly, it won’t surprise if Sourav dwells on the intense mental pressure (and the humiliation) he has been subjected to in recent times.

Also, that even if he’s recalled, coach Greg Chappell and captain Rahul Dravid ? who were very much a party to his ouster ? may not make him comfortable in the dressing room.

Sourav can be expected to talk about double standards in judging form, too. It’s not insignificant that the iconic Sunil Gavaskar has, through his columns, been nailing the powers-that-be on that count.

Actually, for the dialogue-exercise to be successful, Pawar should consider having a meeting with both Sourav and Chappell.