So, Ganguly will do the TV commentary first and foremost, as that is his highest paying professional job. When is not doing commentary, he will be playing for Bengal, which means he won't really play the full season. He will play as and when he is available. Somebody tell me why that is a good thing for Bengal cricket? What kind of example Ganguly and CAB are presenting to the Bengal domestic cricketers?
1) It is okay to play cricket for Bengal even if you are 39 years old and severely unfit, as long as there is Ganguly in your name. Moral - change your name to have Ganguly in it.
2) By even talking about selecting Ganguly to play partial season, CAB is saying that personality pooja is still the top draw in Bengal cricket. According to them, it is more important to have Ganguly in you team (whenever he is available) even if he takes up a spot that could have gone to a young, upcoming player. Moral - if your name is not Ganguly your place in the team isn't safe (even if you are a wicket-keeper).
3) By allowing Ganguly to play partial season because of other commitments, CAB is telling it's domestic players that it is okay for them to pick and choose the games they want to play. If someone wants to go on vacation in the middle of domestic season, by all means take your vacation. Moral - don't worry about cricket calendar, just do your own thing. CAB is very understanding.
I don't know who is more shameless. Ganguly for still injecting himself in Bengal cricket because he has this obscene wish to play in IPL5, or CAB for allowing Ganguly to keep manipulating them. Ganguly's retirement is turning out to be worse than Afridi's retirement. At least Afridi wants to go back to the national team, here we have Ganguly who wants to go back to domestic team because he wants to play for a domestic club team, when no club wants to touch him with a ten-foot pole that is used for opening up clogged sewers. My god....
My humble request to Ganguly --
Dada, please give it up. Even a non-believer-in-you like me wishes the best for you, but that does not include you picking an automatic spot in Bengal team at 39 year age when younger players have to fight it out to get in the team. Dada, you know you won't be helping the team by playing a few (or even half) games in the domestic season. You know that your team mates will b***h about you behind your back because they won't like you having this entitlement to walk into the team at your pleasure when they have to slog it out. They may be nice to you on your face, but behind your back they will b***h. That's not good. Not good for you, not good for the team.
Dada, I know that you know that everyone knows that you want to play in IPL5. You think you got a raw deal in IPL4, so once again you want to be ready for IPL5 by using Bengal domestic team as a stepping stone to get match fit. But think about it, dada. Do you really think your fellow Bengal players are dumb? Don't you think that they too can see what others can see, that you are using Bengal team as a stepping stone for your own personal gain, not to help Bengal cricket? You think your fellow cricketers are going to like it that you are using them as stepping stones? I don't think so.
Dada, do you really think that at 39 years of age, you have anything worthwhile to offer to Bengal cricket as a player? Really? Do you really believe that in your own heart? If not, then why are you sullying your own name. If your intention is to serve Indian cricket or Bengal cricket then you can still do it without playing it. Look at Kumble, Srinath, Venky. They are serving cricket in different roles. You can coach, consult Bengal team. You can be India's gift to Elite Test Umpires, should you choose to do so. You can serve in a lot of ways, but playing isn't one of the options IMO.
Ultimately, you'll do what you think is best for you. I just hope you don't end up damaging your legacy with cricket fans in general and your hardcore fans in particular.