Sourav Ganguly: Don't judge Virat Kohli by his T20 captaincy

Sourav Ganguly backs India captain Virat Kohli to shine at the World Cup.

Sourav Ganguly always talks straight. He was direct, to the point and engaging during his conversation with  Sportstar  in Chennai on Tuesday.

Q: Hasn’t the conflict-of-interest controversy hurt you at some level? Even the genial Laxman has reacted rather angrily.

I don’t see any conflict of interest. The conflict of interest comes in when one position puts you in an advantageous position in the other. The role in the Cricket Advisory Committee has no bearing on being an IPL (Indian Premier League) mentor. They are not connected; one doesn’t influence the other.

Q: The World Cup will be in the second half of the English summer when the ball may not seam as much...

A: English conditions have changed over the years. Lots of runs are being scored in one-day cricket now in England; pitches are good for batting. The World Cup will be a high-scoring tournament.

Read: 'Delhi Capitals' players deserve credit for success'

Q: Do you believe the Indian squad is a paceman short?

A: We have four pacemen. We have (Ravindra) Jadeja for a reason. If (Hardik) Pandya gets injured, we will have an all-rounder. They can play three fast bowlers in the XI so the balance is absolutely fine. If anybody gets injured, it’s just an eight-hour flight.

Q: Will setbacks in the IPL hurt Virat Kohli’s confidence levels as captain ahead of the World Cup?

A: Don’t judge Virat by his T20 captaincy. His record as an India captain is very, very good.

Q: M. S. Dhoni’s inputs will be valuable...

A: He’s exceptional, isn’t he? He will support Virat with his ideas and inputs from behind the stumps. And it’s a great view from there.

Q: Can Kuldeep Yadav rediscover his mojo in the World Cup after the IPL mauling?

A: It’s a different format. I wouldn’t be worried. He will settle down. And the Eden Gardens wicket, an absolute belter, coupled with a fast outfield, can be hard for a spinner. I will speak to him. I will meet him.

Q: Skippers who have impressed you in recent times?

A: M. S. has been a very good captain in the shorter formats. Virat’s captaincy in Test matches has been very, very good, away from home. In world cricket, I think Joe Root is a fine captain. The way he handles himself, the team, has impressed me.

The interaction with Ganguly, the Delhi Capitals mentor, was arranged by Advanced Hair Studio.