Sourav Ganguly

New Delhi: For almost a decade, Inderjit Singh Bindra and Jagmohan Dalmiya have been going for each other’s jugular. Yet, the former has taken a soft line on Sourav Ganguly ? viewed by many as often having been protected by Dalmiya.

To start with, Bindra (who heads the slickly run Punjab Cricket Association) invited Sourav to watch the second Test, which begins in Mohali on Thursday. Then, in a telephonic chat with The Telegraph, declared that the former Team India captain remained “eligible” for selection.

That’s vastly different from chief selector Kiran More’s stand.

“Unless a player has been disciplined or is unfit, he remains eligible... In any case, it’s for the Board to decide on the selection policy... Back in 1986, Sunil Gavaskar was reinstated after being dropped for two ODIs against Australia...

“From what I remember, the selectors didn’t pick him as their focus was on the 1987 World Cup... Well, the Board got into the act and they were directed to select teams on current form and performance,” Bindra, a former Board president and key member of the present regime, remarked.

The then selection committee was headed by former captain Chandu Borde. His colleagues were A.G. Kripal Singh, Hanumant Singh, Ambar Roy and Manmohan Sood. Incidentally, Gavaskar quit after the 1987 World Cup.

Bindra added: “What the president (Sharad Pawar) stated in Nagpur is correct ? that nobody can keep out Sourav if he performs... The Board has always rewarded performance and I’m not saying this because all the talk is about one individual...”

Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain and coach Intikhab Alam has termed More’s comments (chiefly “we won’t look back...”) as “unfortunate.”

Contacted in Chandigarh, he observed: “It’s unfortunate... Even unfair... The chief selector can’t shut the door (unilaterally) on somebody working towards a comeback... I’ve never met Sourav and I’m looking forward to interacting with him when he comes for the Test in Mohali.”

Intikhab has been Punjab’s head coach for two seasons and is going to be back in 2006-07.