Kolkata: There may be a buzz surrounding Sourav Ganguly's switch-over to the new IPL team in Pune but the former Indian captain made it clear that he would continue playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders till his retirement from the Twenty20 tournament.
With his three-year contract with KKR getting over this season, Ganguly scotched reports about a shift or a retirement.
"I have not thoughts about retiring from the IPL. I am now playing well and I will play IPL as long as I can. Further, I will represent KKR as long as I play IPL," Ganguly said.
Earlier at a function, team boss Shah Rukh Khan had said it's up for Ganguly to decide on his career.
"For a cricketer like Ganguly, we will never say when to retire. Ganguly, Sachin, Dravid, Kumble are all legends, they are the best to decide on their career."
In a lighter vein, Khan had quipped: "Till they hang their boots, shirts, trousers (sic), we will continue to iron them," he said.
Ganguly said although it was disappointing to lose to Kings XI Punjab despite putting up 200 on the board, he was confident of bouncing back on Wednesday.
"It was very disappointing to lose to Kings XI Punjab. We would have been better placed had the results been different. But we will have to come back and it's possible. It's not impossible to make the semis at the moment. The doors are not shut for us," the ace left hander added.
Ganguly heaped praise on Chris Gayle for his hurricane 42-ball 88 against Kings XI Punjab during their last match.
"He is a kind of a player who makes up for his slow start in no time," he said.
Although his bowlers could not defend 200, Ganguly backed them and said: "Our bowling has not been that bad. But it was sad that we could not defend the total."