Ganguly Back.. yeeee:P

Jalandhar, Dec 02: Former Indian cricket team captain Saurav Ganguly, whose 10-month long wait to get back in the Indian cricket team has finally ended after being recalled for the three-match Test series against South Africa, may start his new innings with a new bat.

The Kolkata southpaw, who had played his last international match earlier this year against Pakistan, has got a special bat made by Jalandhar-based Beat All Sports (BAS).

For the upcoming series barely two weeks from now (December 15), Ganguly has got a special made-to-order bat, especially prepared, by Beat All Sports (BAS), a Jalandhar based sports goods manufacturer.

During his recent Ranji Trophy matches in Chandigarh, Ganguly played with a bat made by BAS. Now, keeping the international cricket's requirements, he has sought some changes in the bat.

"He (Ganguly) required certain changes in the bat such as thick edges and all. As per his choice, we made two bats that were appreciated by him. Now, he has asked us to take a note of the design of the bat so that we could provide him with a new piece as and when required. He has also wanted some changes related to bat's balance, which we cannot reveal. It's his secret.," said Somi Kohli, Chairman Beat All Sports Jalandhar.

Besides Ganguly, Beat All Sports also boasts of having provided bats for master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Normally, a cricket bat is made of willow wood, treated with linseed oil. The wood is tough and shock-resistant. A bat incorporates a wooden spring design where the handle meets the blade.

The rules of the game limit the allowable size for a bat as not more than 38 inches (965 mm) long and the blade may not be more than 4.25 inches (108 mm) wide.

A bat typically weighs from 2 lb 8 oz to 3 lb (1.1 to 1.4 kg) though there is no standard. Former cricketers like Clive Lloyd and Sandip Patil were known for having a preference for heaviest bats.

Bureau Report