However, the cricketing world is abuzz that although he’s a great player, he comes with a major attitude. KKR management is unwilling to go on record, but sources say that for three years now, players and support staff have been complaining about Ganguly’s behaviour. While the coaches felt he did not take them seriously, foreign players thought of him to have a superiority complex. Even the juniors found his aggression very annoying. His ‘attitude’ was touted to be the reason when the team began to falter. This definitely scared the franchises away.
S. Sreesanth, another player, is not well liked despite being talented. He is said to be quite a pain. His attitude reportedly cost him his place in the World Cup squad.
Franchisees and Team India selectors obviously did not want any high-handedness or arrogance within their teams.
This should be seen as a good lesson for most youngsters today who feel “it’s cool to have an attitude”. It’s definitely not a perk.
“One needs to differentiate between attitude and temperament,” says sociologist Shiv Vishwanath. Sympathetic to Sourav Ganguly, he argues that the cricketer is a born leader and therefore, the real victim, “He was an extraordinary captain, a hero. It was his leadership that provided the much needed aggression on the field. Sourav fought for his right to pick a team and for the right of every player to be heard. He is the creator of the current Team India, which M.S. Dhoni has inherited,”
Vishwanath believes Sourav was treated shabbily as he is no longer in top form. There are corporate lessons to be learned from this sports drama. For those on top, their actions will be tolerated but at the smallest opportunity, they risk being ousted as people will only tolerate you till you are needed.
While straight-talking is commendable, diplomacy and tact are also hallmarks of great leadership. Civilisation runs on interaction and careers are especially vulnerable to faulty communication skills. “We infect the world with our views,” says Prof. Daniel David of Madras Christian College, “If a teacher enters the class with a negative attitude, he ruins the mood and students learn nothing.” Even if provoked, you have to be restrained, “It’s all about how you communicate with people. You might not like someone, but you don’t go up to them and say ‘I hate you,” he adds.
Ganguly and Sreesanth seems to have forgotten there is no ‘I’ in a team. Although the likes of V.V.S. Laxman and Irfan Pathan haven’t had great matches in the IPL, they have no attitude and hence have takers.
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