New Delhi: Even as Chief Selector Dilip Vengsarkar laid down the law that seniors in the Indian cricket team had to perform or perish, Sourav Ganguly today countered that age should not be a criterion for selection and the Big Three still had a lot of fire left in them.

"Performance and not seniority or juniority should count," the former captain said amidst calls that he, along with Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid should make way for younger players in the one-day team. Ganguly said that the experienced trio were among the top four run-getters against England, the last time India played an ODI series.

"People who question Sachin Tendulkar's form are mad," Ganguly said in an interview to IBN-7. He also pointed out that too much was made of players' age in India and public opinion was very fickle.

"It's typical of India to be excited and get lost in hype." But the three veterans were tough enough to overcome the latest challenge as well, India's most successful Test captain said. "Had they not been mentally and physically tough, they would not have survived the rigours of international cricket over a decade successfully."