I will miss Sachin, others: Ganguly

Kolkata, Nov 11 (IANS) Having retired from international cricket, former captain Sourav Ganguly Tuesday said he would miss his colleagues like Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian team, but would root for them whenever he watched them on television.

'I will watch them on television. I will root for them,' Ganguly told reporters at his residence, when asked how he would be in touch with other players in the team, particularly those he had groomed for the big league.

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Asked about Tendulkar, with whom he formed one of the all-time best opening combinations in one-day cricket, Ganguly replied: 'Sachin was very close to me. Lot of other boys in the team were also close. I will miss their company.'

Ganguly rated his debut Test, the experience of captaining India for the first time and his last Test at Nagpur, which ended Monday, as the three best moments of his glittering career.

Ganguly said he was now looking forward to some rest before deciding his future. 'I have to wait and see how things unfold. Haven't decided yet. There are lot of opportunities before me. I have to look forward,' he said at the media meet, a couple of hours after returning to his city following his retirement.

He appeared pragmatic when asked if it felt bad to be called a former cricketer. 'This day was bound to come one day. Maradona, Pelle, Gavaskar, they all had to retire. One day, Tendulkar will also retire. This is part of sports.'

On the celebrations Monday after the series win against Australia at Nagpur, he said: 'Oh! It was geat fun. It was fantastic. It was a night to remember for all of us.'

Ganguly said the retirement of the seniors would provide an opportunity for the youngsters to take Indian cricket forward.

Earlier, hundreds of fans mobbed Ganguly when he returned to the city.

Bouquets in hand, the cricket buffs shouted slogans eulogising the former Indian captain and constantly cheered 'Dada', 'Dada' - as Ganguly is lovingly known.

They held aloft the tricolour, Ganguly's photographs and waved posters thanking him for his contribution to the game, the country and West Bengal.

Ganguly, who arrived at the N.S.C. Bose International Airport in the evening, was received by Municipal Affairs Minister Ashok Bhattacharya and Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretaries Biswarup Dey and Arun Mitra.