Make Ganguly captain: former cricketers

With Brendon McCullum finding it tough to inspire a struggling Kolkata Knights Riders in the Indian Premier League, former cricketers here feel Sourav Ganguly should be handed back the captaincy of the side.

Controversy-ridden Kolkata Knight Riders, which floated the idea of 'multiple captaincy' to replace Ganguly with Brendon McCullum a day before the tournament, are yet to fire up in the tournament.

"It's not the same (Brendon) McCullum - who launched the inaugural tournament with an unbeaten 158, the highest total in Twenty20 cricket. The captaincy pressure is clearly showing on him. If KKR need to go up in the tournament, Ganguly is the one to lead," Utpal Chatterjee, former Indian spinner who coached Bengal in 2008-09 season, said.

The Kolkata outfit is languishing in the standings with a spot above last-placed Bangalore Royal Challengers with one win from five matches.

With the heavy loss to Mumbai Indians yesterday, former India and Bengal players felt the need to give the captaincy once again to Ganguly to "revive the side".

"It's high time that (Sourav) Ganguly should captain the side. He is the 'best' player to lead the side," Chatterjee said.

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim agreed, "They (the KKR thinktank) have messed up right from the beginning with the multiple captaincy idea. I don't see any multiple captain here."

Taking a dig at the huge support staff which boasts of John Buchanan, director cricket operations, Karim said: "I don't see any need of that. Why do you need a wicketkeeping coach for an experienced campaigner like (Brendon) McCullum? Or is he (the wicketkeeping coach) for standby wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha who is injured?"

Besides the two-time World Cup winning coach for Australia, KKR support staff include chief coach Mathew Mott, assistant coach Brad Murphy, wicket-keeping coach Wade Seccombe, bowling coach Andy Bichel, assistant coach for strength training Michael Buchanan (John's son), team director Joydeep Mukherjee, trainer Adrian Le Roux, physiotherapist Andrew Leipus, fielding coach Jon Deeble.

"It's quite disappointing for a side which had a good preparation for IPL2. There was talent hunt programme all over India," Karim said.

Bengal selection committee Chairman Sambaran Banerjee also said: "I want Ganguly to return as captain. He takes pressure off the team and is the lone person to lift the side from this difficult position."

Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Bangalore Royal Challengers in their next match tomorrow.