‘Rahul of old is back now’

London: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, a centurion on Test debut, at Lord's, spoke to The Telegraph on Sunday afternoon.

The following are excerpts

Thoughts on Rahul Dravid’s 103 not out in the first innings

A terrific knock, one which made him very happy... We could see that in the way he celebrated.

Getting on the honours board (qualification is a hundred or a five-wicket haul) at Lord’s

It’s nice to be up there, but it’s surely not the be all and the end all. There’s more to life.

Dravid getting two Test hundreds in recent weeks

Yes... The one in Jamaica (112, in the second innings) was also very good... In the last few years, Rahul had looked a shadow of his self, but these two hundreds have reminded us of the Rahul of old and he’s back to what he was in 2006 or so.

Impact of quality hundreds

Lifts your confidence... I’m sure Rahul is going to be a different player now, thanks to the two hundreds.

His assessment of Dravid, who made his debut in the same Test (June 1996)

He’s a modern day great, not just in India.

Dravid’s longevity

It’s because he’s such a quality player that Dravid has been around for 15 years... Also, he’s retained the hunger.

If he wished Dravid on Saturday

I did, yes. We’re in the same hotel and on the same floor... I congratulated him for an outstanding innings... He looked very happy.

On Sachin Tendulkar still looking for his first hundred at Lord’s

It happens... Lord’s happens to be one ground where he just hasn’t got going.

Finally, if seeing Dravid still playing, he regrets having quit international cricket in November 2008

(Laughs) No... I was angry when I made that decision... I’d been fed up (with the goings-on)... I accepted it a long time back, though, and have moved on.