Nobody knows better than the player concerned when he is no longer middling the ball as well as he used to. The intelligent player decides that is the time to retire rather than face the ignominy of being dropped. Sourav Ganguly, by announcing his retirement after the current series with Australians, may have just saved himself from that disgrace. His decision could not have been better timed. There has been a question-mark over Mr Ganguly’s form for some time. The drive that pierced the off-side field has not been as fluent and frequent as it used to be when he was in top form. The quick single, never Mr Ganguly’s forte, has become virtually non-existent; and the opposition has begun to look for an extra run whenever the ball goes to him. It will be simplistic to blame Mr Ganguly for all of this. Mr Ganguly is a victim of biology. He is 36 years old — an age well past the one at which most sportsmen bid adieu to the game of their choice at the highest level. It is no surprise that Mr Ganguly’s reflexes have become slow, and his movements heavier than in the past. He has survived till 36 because cricket is not as demanding as, say, football or tennis in terms of physical fitness. Also, Indian cricketers, since fitness is not given a high priority in the Indian cricketing world, continue to play well past their fitness age.

No one will ever doubt Mr Ganguly’s achievements as a batsman and as a captain. He brought to his batsmanship and to his captaincy an aggression that was unknown in Indian cricket. But unfortunately, it is in the nature of sports that these qualities are passing. Sports is the realm of the youth. Youth has the energy, the passion that drives that energy, and the physical abilities that are necessary to be successful in any game, even in a leisurely one like cricket. In the playing fields, age bows before youth, just as in tinsel town brains do to beauty. Mr Ganguly leaves behind a rich legacy for the younger cricketers to emulate and build on. It is to be expected that Mr Ganguly, with his enormous experience, will help young players to blossom. His retirement is the beginning of the end of an era. It will shock no one if his peers — Messrs Kumble, Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman — also deem it fit to ease themselves out of the game. When that happens it will truly be the trooping of the colours for Indian cricket. Memory will preserve the contribution of this famous five.