'Saurav Doesn't Merit Selection'

Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis dampened thespirits of the embattled Saurav Ganguly saying the left-hander did not meritselection in the Indian team on the basis of current form.

"Saurav is a great batsman but I am afraid onpresent form he does not deserve to be selected," Waqar Younis said fromLahore.

"If I were a selector, I would definitely notselect him," he added.

Ganguly is passing through one of his worst battingforms. He scored just 48 runs in the recently concluded three-Test seriesagainst Pakistan and had scores of 0, 9, 4 and 18 before he was slapped with asix-match ban by ICC match referee Chris Broad for India's slow over-rateagainst Pakistan in the fourth ODI at Ahmedabad.

"I think the Indian board and the selectors shoulddecide how they feel about Saurav because they are the ones who chalk out (longterm) strategies. They should ask themselves if they are ready and prepared tomove on without Saurav," said Waqar, who retired after the 2003 World Cupafter playing 87 Tests and 262 one-day internationals.

The former Pakistan speedster felt the Indian boardshould analyse the situation and begin thinking about Ganguly's replacement.

"Every captain has to go and the BCCI should start thinking about it. RahulDravid has done a good job in the past and he will improve if provided with anopportunity to regularly lead the team", Waqar said.

"But if he doesn't get the chance, how he willimprove? The other thing that needs to be decided is how badly the Indiancricket team needs Saurav," Waqar, who took 373 wickets in Tests and 416 inone-dayers, said.

"That's why I am saying it's for the Indian boardto decide how they evaluate the current situation," he added.

Waqar's assessment was in contrast to Wasim Akram'sobservation earlier this week when he advised the Indian selectors to beextremely careful in deciding about the future of the Indian captain.

Nevertheless, Waqar also had words of support andencouragement for Ganguly with whom he's been engaged in one of the finestcricket battles.

"It is going to be difficult for him to put backthe recent failures but he is capable of bouncing back.

"I think he should go away from cricket because ifhe does not do that, the pressure will keep mounting on him. He should relax andgive rest to his body and mind, and I believe the ICC ban would serve thatpurpose.

Waqar said Ganguly should play in domestic competitions before returning andspend more time at the nets after that.

"However, when he decides to return to cricket, heshould spend most of his time at the nets. But it's very simple as far as I amconcerned; he has to play in domestic competitions to prove his form and fitnessbefore he can stake a claim for recall," he said.

Waqar denied speculations that he had been offered acoaching job in India. "I have not received any offer. I want to work withPakistan and would love to step onto the field. But only on my terms andconditions. I would not accept assignments for one or two series.

"It has to be a long term contract because I alsoneed time to talk and work with the bowlers. I would only accept a contract thatprovides me enough time to work because I have my reputation at stake and alsomy career in the media," Waqar, whose popularity graph in the country hasnot gone down despite retirement, said.

PTI