Ganguly says captaincy not an issue

Sourav Ganguly says he as motivated now as he was on India's last tour to Pakistan © Getty Images

Sourav Ganguly says that being stripped of the Indian captaincy will not diminish his motivation to do well for his country in the three-Test series against Pakistan beginning at Lahore on Friday.

Ganguly downplayed the fact that he was no longer the captain saying that playing for the country was the bigger motivating factor and leadership was only a bonus.

"It doesn't matter that I am not the captain on this visit. It's the same bunch of boys who are here," Ganguly said. "Whether you are the captain or not, playing for the country is the biggest motivation. Captaincy is only a bonus."

Ganguly, whose controversial omission from the last Test played by India at Ahmedabad had created an unprecedented uproar, said it was important for the team to play with the same intensity they showed last time around in 2004. "I think we need to play with the same intensity like last time to win the series," he said. "When I came here last time, I wanted to perform well and my aim is the same this time around too."