Hemang Badani at the CCFC on Thursday.

Calcutta: Team India discard Hemang Badani is a true Sourav Ganguly “admirer”.

It was then captain Sourav under whom the Tamil Nadu batsman made his debut (against Bangladesh, Asia Cup in 2000), though failed to make a mark — he scored 35 in his first ODI — against the minnows. However, Sourav — a firm believer of giving youngsters enough chance — persisted with him and Badani did live up to the former captain’s expectation, when, in his 10 th appearance, he came up with a 98-ball 100. By the way, the century was not against a minnow Bangladesh, but the world champions Australia.

But it’s been about six years since he scored his only century. Having been discarded from the side after India’s Pakistan tour in 2003-04, Badani is fighting for a place, even as he was ignored for the 30-member World Cup probables.

But he’s not down. Rather he draws inspiration from the great Sourav comeback. “Nothing comes easy in life,” says Badani on a pragmatic note, adding: “He (Sourav) has proved everybody wrong, after all that happened to him critics went on to say that ‘Sourav is finished…’ But his comeback has been amazing, and gives me enough encouragement.”

In fact, Sourav has become Badani’s inspiration now.

“I’m much younger than him (Sourav) and, moreover, unlike Sourav I don’t have any issues,” Badani said, referring to the infamous Sourav-Greg Chappell showdown.

Badani felt the middle-order slot is always up for grabs. “Nobody (except Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid) has taken their place for granted… one good season, and I’ll be back in reckoning,” the left-hand batsman, who is also known for his athletic fielding skills, added.

Badani was talking to The Telegraph on the sidelines of his team’s (Chemplast Sanmar Limited) nine-wicket win over Karnataka XI.

Badani, however, signed off on an alarming note. Asked about his expectations from Team India in the World Cup, he said, “India do not look like a unit… the team does not have that ‘settled’ feeling. I don’t know how we are going to play there. I’m not very sure of our side.”

Cautioning that the Aussies would be a tough nut to crack, he however added: “What we need is a few wins under out belt… once we start winning we will look as a unit.”

Sanjeewa Weerasinghe — a former Sri Lankan cricketer — captaining Lankan Masters in the Twenty20 meet had a contrasting view. He felt that it’s either Sri Lanka or India who can stop the Australia juggernaut. “In fact the conditions there would be conducive for spinners which will be an advantage vis-à-vis Australians, who are used to play in flat wickets.”

Weerasinghe, who rates Sourav as world’s third best batsman, talking about the former Indian skipper’s comeback, said: “Sourav showed the world that he’s still there… He made his way through, when nobody wanted him… He has still a lot of cricket left in him.”