Star players retirement will not affect India: Inzamam

Ahmedabad, Nov 13 (UNI) Former Pakistan cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq has said the retirement of Saurav Ganguly and Anil Kumble will not affect the Indian team as they have a number of talented youngsters to fill the vacuum.

''Both (Sourav) Ganguly and (Anil) Kumble are great players but retirement is a part of the system. Everyone have to go one day and I feel India has the bench strength. They are blessed with some very good youngsters who are performing very well and can make themselves counted,'' Inzamam said.

Inzamam, who leads a team Lahore Badshahs in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), was also optimist about ICL getting recognised by the ICC.

''Conversations have started between the ICC and BCCI regarding the recognition of ICL, which shows that the ICC agrees that we are doing the right thing.'' ''Also at home there have been a lot of positive discussion on the issue and I hope it will materialise into ICL's recognition,'' Inzamam said.

''The new PCB chairman Ejaj Butt have given some positive statements about the ICL and I hope that if our boys can start playing first class cricket for the country again, it can lead to something good in future,'' he said.

''We are not doing anything wrong and we are also getting a lot of support back home as many people want us to play in the ICL.

Also there is no rule stopping us to play in our national team, then what is the problem,'' he added.

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