Sport | Cricket
Ganguly revelling in his new role
Being a quizmaster 'is a challenge'
- By D. Datta, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 October 27, 2009
- Sourav Ganguly's innings as quizmaster on Dadagiri has proved successful. The programme has top ratings.
- Image Credit: Supplied
Kolkata: Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian skipper, is proving to be a big hit in his new role as quizmaster in a reality show called Dadagiri (a play on his nickname "Dada") on a Bengali news channel.
It has been almost a year since he quit international cricket.
Come the next edition of the Indian Premier League, Ganguly should again be back as the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders. Last season saw a love-hate relationship between him and Shah Rukh Khan, owner of the franchise.
Following are the excerpts of an exclusive interview with Gulf News:
GULF NEWS: You are going great guns even in the field of television shows.
SOURAV GANGULY: Well, it's good to know that the television programme is doing well. It was a new challenge for me and I am definitely liking it. The programme has given me a scope to meet people from all spheres of life — from the common man on the street to celebrities. I am just anchoring the show. But, it's a fantastic experience.
Dadagiri is at the top of the rating chart now…
Again that's good… and for that, everybody associated with the programme should be thanked.
The buzz is that Shah Rukh Khan might appear in the grand finale of your show.
He might. Nothing is finalised yet. We are trying our best to attract more people to see the show and till now the feedback is overwhelming. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Going back to cricket, Dave Whatmore is almost certain to take over as the coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Well, Dave is a very good coach. And we have a good relationship. In the interview, he had charmed all the officials present there. And he is a thorough professional.
John Wright, an old favourite of yours, was in contention, too.
Yes, John was there. But due to his prior commitments, John could not be available for the amount of time required to be spent with the KKR cricketers.
You have decided to play in a few Ranji matches for Bengal too. Why?
Well, I need to be fit before the IPL and I thought it would be better for me to play a few first class matches for Bengal to keep fit.
But will not it be a problem if you do not play all the matches?
I had said that it would be in few selected matches. I had played international cricket for 15 years and I do not want to live out of suitcases once again. I get homesick now! If that was the case, I could have continued playing international cricket, is it not?
You are planning to open an academic school also?
Yes, it's a project I am now working on and I have to run around a lot to make it happen. Besides, there are a few business commitments as well.
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