Ganguly finds supporter in Kolkata team's owner Shah Rukh Khan

MUMBAI, January 24: Discarded from India's One-day cricket team, Sourav Ganguly found a big fan in Shah Rukh Khan soon after the film star won his bid for the Kolkata side in the Indian Premier League. "He is one of the most stunning and wonderful players in the world. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly are two players I am most impressed by. I love them for the human beings they are," said Shah Rukh.

"I am very impressed by their commitment and by the way they play their cricket," he said. "Even as everybody kept asking when they would retire, they keep playing so well."

On whether he and his kids wanted Mumbai, Shah Rukh said: "I am happy that Mukesh has Mumbai. His team is mine and my team is his. We will all play in a friendly way. Maybe we will end in a tie, even then it will be our win."

On what his Kolkata team and captain would like, Shah Rukh said: "I like Sourav, or for that matter all other players. As for the captain and the team, it will be up to the experts to decide on that. I will have a core team to do all and I will try and see as many matches as possible and encourage the sport more."

Talking about his love for the sport, he added: "I am a brand ambassador for my country. We are not here for money, we are here for the sport."

"I will support cricket and not promote cricket, otherwise people will say I am promoting my films," said Shah Rukh.

Last year Shah Rukh was accused of turning up with the Indian team for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in order to promote his films. That was the time the film "Om Shanti Om" - where he stars - was about to be released.

"If you come to my house, you will see all kind of sports equipment and we (his family) keep on playing all kinds of sport," Shah Rukh added.

IANS