Former India players Kapil Dev and Navjot Singh Sidhu were all praise for Sourav Ganguly's showing in the just-concluded first Test against South Africa, which India won by 123 runs, in Johannesburg, on Monday.
"You saw when he was hit by the ball during the Test, he did not even say a word or bother to rub the area where he was hit. Ten months back he would have been in hospital. I personally felt that Ganguly should have quit cricket because of the manner in which he was asked quit as captain or shown the door as a player.
"He showed the determination to fight back despite the fact that the odds were not in his favour," Kapil said, at a press meet, organised to launch the Anil Ambani group's new venture 'Zapak.com' online internet gaming.
When a newsperson asked the icon of the Indian cricket whether some all-rounders need to be included in the Indian side, Kapil shot back: "Don't you think the media needs to change its style of presenting cricket and the facts about the game of cricket?"
Asked what he felt about Sreesanth's celebratory dance of swinging his bat over his head after hitting Andre Neil for a six, Kapil replied: "It is his manner of showing aggression and there is nothing wrong in doing that so long as it helps you in winning games."
Sidhu, who for a change played second fiddle to the former India captain and coach, regretted that whenever an Indian or Pakistani resorted to such ways of celebration they are fined or a complaint is filed against them.
"When Ponting mutters something no one says a word," he moaned.
Kapil felt the game is becoming more demanding than during his playing days.
"If someone cannot take the pressure then he should sit at home. The players at the international level must learn to take the pressure. 'Pressure is what you allow it to be,' [former Australia player and coach] Bob Simpson once told me, when I asked him what is pressure and how to handle it.
"Great players like Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara and Steve Waugh have all thrived under pressure. So it should not make a difference to those who are in the Indian team whether public opinion swings one way or the other," said Sidhu.
Kapil felt another Test victory in South Africa should boost India's chances in the forthcoming World Cup in the West Indies.
He did not agree with the view that chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar's presence in South Africa brought about a change in the team's fortunes.
"Vengsarkar, who has played over a hundred Tests, has vast experience. Kiran More was also trying to achieve the same thing as the chairman of the selection committee. The essential thing is we should stop experimenting. Concentrate on today rather than think of tomorrow," he said.
Reflecting on Monday's victory, Sidhu said, "You win at home but it does not count, but when you defeat the lion in its den it counts a lot."
"Why should we compare it with any other win. This is the best that we had under difficult circumstances," Kapil said.
