Atletico de Kolkata co-owner Sourav Ganguly to miss opening ISL match against Chennaiyin FC

Ganguly was an important presence for ATK last season

There were speculations that star co-owner Sourav Ganguly will not be able to give time to his ATK team this season, due to his current commitments to the Cricket Association of Bengal. Now the rumors have become stronger with him set to miss the team’s first match in Chennai.

The former India cricket captain has been recently appointed the new Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President. He will have to fly to Mumbai to attend the BCCI's special general meeting on Sunday.

Ganguly is confident that the ATK squad will be able to win their first match of the season. He said,”I will be going to Mumbai for a board meeting. I wont be able to attend ATK’s opening game in Chennai. I feel the team is better than last year and confident that they will win this game.”

Earlier last month, the Kolkata franchise’s co-owner Sanjiv Goenka dismissed suggestions that the iconic cricketer was off action in the build-up to the second season. He said that Ganguly was very much part of the defending champions' core think tank.

"Don't judge by seeing the first three months of the preseason. Sourav played an important role, he continues to play an important role and will play an important role in the next season," he said during a press conference in Kolkata.

Ganguly played an important role from accompanying the team to giving pep talks last season, has been tipped to take up a lot of responsibility this time around also. He was seen in the ISL promotional video this year.

Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar is widely expected to be elected as the next chief in the Board SGM which has been called after the demise of Dalmiya, which Ganguly will be attending on Saturday.

ATK takes on Chennaiyan FC in Chennai on Saturday for the inaugural match of this season’s ISL. The fans have a lot of expectations from the defending champions this year, with a new marquee signing Portuguese Helder Postiga and Canadian Ian Hume, leading the attack. The only major concern for Habas’s team will be a growing injury list.