I am playing better than ever: Ganguly

New Delhi: The Prince of Kolkata gave a candid interview to CNN-IBN after the selectors ignored him again from the One-Day squad for the Champions Trophy. But the King of Comebacks isn't giving up. Sports Editor, Gaurav Kalra has a chat with the former Indian captain.

Gaurav kalra: With us is a man who has been described in many ways in his two-decade long career but today he is known as a man who loves to prove people wrong. Sourav Ganguly thanks for joining us. You have just turned 36, what a year this has been?

Sourav Ganguly: It’s been good, it has been a successful year in both forms of the game. I’m playing well and hopefully I can keep going.

Gaurav kalra: It was almost half-a-lifetime ago that you played for India as an 18-year old in Australia and now turning 36, so much has happened. Now, when you look back, do you wonder ‘how far have I come?’

Sourav Ganguly: Obviously, when you sit back and think when you have played so much of cricket, you feel satisfied. It’s a profession that I have loved all my life and have done well. So, doing well and surviving for this long, is definitely a huge pleasure.

Gaurav kalra: At 36, do you feel like you have been a better cricketer than you have ever been?

Sourav Ganguly: I have played as well as I have in the past one year. I have realized that and I’m honest about it. I’m a firm believer that in cricket, you mature with age. Obviously, it’s different for a fast bowler, a batsman and a spinner. As a batsman, I have matured and probably playing as well as I have ever played.

Gaurav kalra: One of the things that has defined your career is your self-belief, is that something you tell yourself that I’m playing as well as I have or do you genuinely feel that?

Sourav Ganguly: Even when I’m not practicing or playing in the middle, I still talk to myself and keep myself believing that I’m as good as anyone in this world and if I get an opportunity, I will perform. I think that belief is very important to succeed because you may train all the time and put hours in the nets but if you actually don’t believe you are going to do it in the middle, you will never do it.

Gaurav kalra: The reason why are we sitting here is because of the wonderful award you have been honoured with. First, thoughts on the fact this was the first time an Asian cricket awards was put together. Did you ever think you will make this award?

Sourav Ganguly: I was not aware of this Asian Cricket Awards because up till now we used to have the Castrol Indian cricketer of the year award.

Obviously with my performance in the past 13-14 months in both forms of the game I was hopeful. But you actually don’t believe it till you get it.

Gaurav kalra: Let me ask you a quiz question, which cricketer scored the maximum runs in Tests in 2007?

Sourav Ganguly: It’s (Jacques) Kallis.

Gaurav kalra: Yes and who is No. 2?

Sourav Ganguly: It’s me.

Gaurav kalra: Yes, you are right. Sourav Ganguly always knows his numbers. It was your best year as an individual. How did you achieve that, given that three months before 2007 everybody said Sourav Ganguly is finished?

Sourav Ganguly: I have heard that phrase quiet a few times in my career but as I said I’m a firm believer in what I believe. And I always felt I had it in me to play both forms of the game again. I was just waiting for my opportunity. Obviously when you have been away from that game, you get an opportunity to look at your own game and work hard on it.

I’m not saying that you don’t work hard on your game when you are playing but then you are constantly under pressure, you are traveling, you are playing and that can take away the relaxed look from your game. And that’s why they say a break is important in sports. When you have the break, you are still thinking about your game as a cricketer. You know that you are not waking up tomorrow and playing again.

Gaurav kalra: So in a way was the break good?

Sourav Ganguly: The break was good, it helped. It was too long probably but I have come out as a better player and it has showed in my performance.

Gaurav kalra: What changed Sourav? Was there a change in the approach in the way you batted?

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