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Angry fans protest Ganguly's exclusion with mock funerals

Angry fans of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly yesterday blocked main roads and conducted mock funerals in the eastern city of Calcutta, a day after the allrounder was dropped from the national team, news reports said.

Around 300 people blocked a busy highway near Ganguly's house and shouted slogans demanding he be reinstated for the third and final Test against Sri Lanka starting on Sunday in Ahmadabad, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Protesters burned effigies of India cricket coach, Greg Chappell, and team selector, Kiran More, holding the two responsible for Ganguly's exclusion from the team.

In the Kankinara suburb of Calcutta, irate Ganguly fans conducted funeral rituals for former Australian Test captain Chappell and More.

Indian selectors on Wednesday retained Rahul Dravid as captain for the tour of Pakistan next month and the home series against England in March.

Rahul replaced Ganguly as captain of the Indian team after the latter's public spat with Chappell during a tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year.

Ganguly, whose reign as national skipper lasted five years, holds the Indian record for the most victories in Tests and one-dayers.

Under Ganguly's captaincy, India won 21 tests and 76 limited-overs internationals, but his leadership came under a cloud due to poor batting form and the public dispute with the new coach. The situation worsened after Chappell's critical report regarding Ganguly to the Indian cricket board was leaked to the media.

Rahul replaced Ganguly as captain of the Indian team after the latter's public spat with coach Greg Chappell during the tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year.

Ganguly was dropped from the one-day team which beat Sri Lanka 6-1. He was included in the XI which beat Sri Lanka in the second test on Wednesday. Ganguly scored 40 in the first innings and 39 in the second.

``Ganguly will be replaced by batsman Wasim Jaffer,'' More said.
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