27 December 2005

The Goat Story & Ganguly

Once upon a time, there was a King ruling one of those many Rajs in India.

The King, in the tradition of maintaining the favourite pasttime practices of the Rajas of yore, once set out on a hunting drive.

That day was not as lucky for the King as it normally used to be. On a lucky hunting day, as is normal for any lucky day, even bad aims gave him some catches.

But this was not his lucky day and despite a full day of hard hunting he didn't get any catch on that day. He was wondering if he could really call hunting as a pasttime.

When you are in a bad day things happen such that it becomes worser as the day progresses.

Our hunting King was no exception. He lost his way inside the jungle and got caught by a hungry tiger on the prowl.

The King even though was King was still a human being. He was shit scared. And since there was no one else in the near vicinity, he could courageously show his cowardice.

He was so scared that he started running in the hope that he could beat the tiger in the race. The tiger had no other pending things to do so it chose to chase the King.

The King having hunted enough animals was well aware of the art of evading the hunter, learnt from the hunted. Now that his job description changed from "hunter" to the "hunted" he put his knowledge to good use and did his level best to avoid being a prey.

Despite all his efforts the tiger got the better of the King. Just when all seemed over, life appeared at the end of the tiger's tail for the King.

An entorage of a businessman passed by that side and the businessman, a person of some courage, saw the plight of the King and immediately swung to action to deactivate the Tiger and save the King.

The King got immensely relieved and as is usual for Kings offered as gift anything that the businessman would desire from the King.

The businessman was a very successful one at that time and he found nothing that he could only get from the King. So he politely refused to take any gift as he had the pleasure of saving the King which he thought was bigger than anything material.

But, the King insisted on giving a gift and so told the businessman that the gift offer will remain open and the businessman could use it whenever he wanted.

The businessman accepted the open ended offer. The King and the saviour then parted ways to their respective homes and narrated the incident to their better-halfs.

After many years, the businessman suffered huge losses in his business and things turned so much downward that he almost reached the stage of begging for a living.

The wife of the businessman remembered the offer of the King made many years ago and reminded the husband to go and take the help from the King so that they can be out of the troubles and go back to their prosperous life style.

The husband was hesitant. He told the wife that the King may not even remember him. However, since his wife persisted with him he went to meet the King.

The moment he reached the palace and sent in the message the King called him in immediately. How can he forget the person who saved his life. The businessman felt very happy seeing the gratitude of the King.

The King patiently listened to the story of the businessman and learnt about the loss property and wealth by the businessman.

The businessman reminded the King about the open offer that the King had given many years back and asked for the same now. Money as fresh capital for the business, nice home, clothing, jewels for his wife etc., were his demands.

To the surprise of the businessman the King got very angry and ordered for sending the businessman to the prison in solitary confinement.

After the businessman was sent to the prison, the King called his Minister and gave him the orders to keep a close watch on the businessman in the confinement and told him to feed him properly.

He also gave one more instruction which looked strange for the Minister. The King told him to ensure that every night one pregnant Goat about deliver any moment should be tied inside the cell with the businessman. The Minister was asked to report the well being of the businessman, the Goat and the new born kid the next day morning to the King. He also made arrangements for taking care of the businessman's family in the absence of the businessman.

The instructions were strange, but the Minister had to obey. So he obeyed them religiously and on a daily basis one pregnant Goat was tied inside the cell of the businessman. There was a delivery everyday. Though a new Goat was tied each day the report to the King was same. The Goat delivered the baby and the kid died within few hours.

This kept going but the bemused Minister can do nothing else but send the report to the King. Then, one day the report changed. The news that the Goat delivered and the kid survived reached the King.

The King called the Minister, gave the orders to release businessman from the prison, extend him all hospitality, give him the best food, best clothes and put him up in a new palace. He also told the Minister to take an appointment with the businessman so that the King can go and meet the businessman.

The Minister once again felt strange at the turn of events. Also was the businessman. Anyhow, its a Raj so they had to obey. The businessman having nothing else to do, gave the appointment to the King for a meeting after he refreshed himself.

The King arrived at the appointed time, hugged the businessman and apologised for having kept him in the prison. He then asked the businessman about his requirements and ordered for fulfilling all, gave him lots of money and properties and made arrangements for sending him back to him home with full honours.

The businessman was dumb founded at the largesse. He and the Minister had the same question to ask the King.

Why now and Why not then?

The King smiled at the businessman and the Minister and told them. "I could have given my country to the businessman when he came with his request few years back. But, that would not have stayed with him for long. Because, when I had first seen him, he was very wealthy and had a flourshing business. He was the King of that trade. I thought that one has to be extremely unfortunate to fall from such an enviable position.

I wanted to check how bad was his time. So I decided to put alongside him one Goat everyday the family of which was about to grow. And wanted to see if that growth sustained. I was right in my theory. The businessman's time was so bad that it was not only affecting him but also those that were near him and so the new born kid didn't survive for long and so the Goat's family didn't grow.

Today when I got the report that the Goat delivered and the baby was healthy, I got the message that the time has turned for the businessman for the better and so I gave him the money and all these things and respects that I am giving him now.

Had I given it to him then things would not have worked out for him and he would have only lost more money and would have only lost his morale and motivation because of further failure."

The King asked, "do you think I was wrong?". The Minister & the businessman for the first time said "NO" to the King, but to convey obeyance.

Now read below! You will know what I want say from the Goat story and how Ganguly link came in this whole story!!!

More seeks explanation from Ganguly

Mumbai: Kiran More, chairman of the national cricket selection committee, is peeved at Sourav Ganguly's decision not to turn out for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group `A' league match against Gujarat at Surat. After being dropped from the Indian team for the third Test against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad, Ganguly did not play the match against Karnataka at Mysore.

"Ganguly has to explain the reasons for not playing against Gujarat. I spoke to the Bengal selector Pronob Roy and Bengal coach Paras Mhambrey on Saturday. Both of them said they do not know where Ganguly is and are not aware whether he would play the match or not. It's really surprising. I want an explanation from Ganguly now," said More.

The selectors on Saturday chose Ganguly for the Test series in Pakistan. "I can understand the reasons for Ganguly missing the match against Karnataka. Probably he was disturbed. But he should have played against Gujarat that started today at Surat. I, as chairman of the selection committee, demand an explanation from him," said More.

More upset over Ganguly missing Ranji match

Cricinfo staff

December 26, 2005



Sourav Ganguly did not play in Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat © Getty Images

Kiran More, the chairman of selectors, is upset that Sourav Ganguly did not play for Bengal in their Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat, in spite of being asked to do so.

"I am surprised and shocked that Sourav is not playing the Ranji Trophy match. This was the ideal time to get some match practice before the Pakistan tour," More was quoted as saying by the Times of India. "BCCI should ask for an explanation from Sourav on why he is not playing the match. He had already missed the last round as well."

Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, said that an explanation would be sought in due time. "If Sourav was free he should have played the Ranji match. I don't know what the reason is, but we will definitely ask him why he missed out."

More was unhappy with the reason given for Ganguly missing the match. Pranob Roy, Cricket Association of Bengal chairman of selectors, and Sardindu Pal, the CAB secretary, said that they were unable to contact Ganguly. "Pronab did not know where Sourav is. I also spoke to Paras Mhambrey [Bengal coach], but he too was clueless and did not know how to contact Sourav. This is really surprising. There is nothing like match practice and since we have just one tour game in Pakistan, it would have helped Sourav if he had played the match."

More added that he had asked Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag to play for Delhi and that VVS Laxman had called him and asked to play for Hyderabad against Services. After much speculation, Ganguly was included in the 16-man squad for the Test series in Pakistan beginning in January 2006.

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It may not be out of place to add here that the BCCI President might not have played the King's role correct in getting Ganguly included in this team.

The Goats around Ganguly are not going to grow.

The real lifeline for Ganguly would have been not including him in this team borne for Pakistan but in a subsequent tour after assessing the true performance of a team sans Ganguly in Pakistan.

Ganguly is now in a very difficult position of staying inside the prison and at the same time having to grow the Goats. Impossible I think.

This is not lifeline sir, but a leaking oxygen cylinder very close to the fire. The cylinder is going to blast and take the life of the person that it is supposed to be saving!!!

Wait and watch!!!

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