HAPPY Birth Day To Dada!
INDIA’s Former Captain Sourav Ganguly turned 46 on July 8, one day after Mahendra Singh Dhoni who had succeeded him celebrated his 37th happy birth day. Ganguly, who had the opportunity to play all the three formats of the Gentleman’s game, has emerged in a new Avtar as a cricket administrator .He is heading the Cricket Association of Bengal after the demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya, his friend, philosopher and guide .Since making debut for India as a 20-year-old, Kolkata born Ganguly has given India several memorable and glorious moments. Eventually, he became leader of the Indian cricket team and quit in favour of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from Ranchi. Incidentally, Ganguly was the second cricketer from Bengal after Dhaka born Pankaj Roy (1928 2001) had successfully performed for India at national and international cricket. Ganguly made his Test debut for India in 1996 and at the Lord’s facing Chris Lewis and Alan Mullally. He scored 131 runs surprising cricket fans across the world.He emerged in the world cricket .Eden Gardens, India’s most iconic cricket ground which is arguably the best cricket pitch in the country ,is under him as the CAB President .Sourav Chandidas Ganguly, popularly known as Dada, Padma and Arjuna award recipient from the Government of India ,was considered one of the world’s leading batsmen and also one of the greatest captains of the national cricket team. In his hey days, he was especially prolific in making runs. After retirement in controversial circumstances, Sourav Ganguly has been appointed one of the four members of the Indian Premier League’s Governing Council responsible for all the functions of the annual IPL tournament. He is also a member of Technical Committee of the cash rich Indian Premier League. He started career by playing in state and school teams. Ganguly as the skipper of the Indian cricket team is credited for promoting talented youngsters .One of them is Mahendra Singh Dhoni.He did not tolerate any interference in the team’s management .Ganguly was one of the sharpest and farsighted cricketing minds, says Abhirup Bhattacharya in “Winning Like Sourav: Think & Succeed Like Ganguly”. The southpaw had taken over the reins of the Indian cricket team from Sachin Tendulkar in 2000 and led the India in blue for five years gloriously. Ganguly was the man who brought about a change in the way Indian cricketers played and the way selection processes happened. Not only did Ganguly expand the scope of selections, his faith in players like Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh , Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Dhoni has shaped the Indian cricket team. Ganguly is known for his openness and as one who never is scared of any challenge .And these traits inculcated in the Indian dressing room. He made Indians believe that they could match the prowess of the Australians and the English. The aggressiveness and approach he brought in the Indian team since becoming captain in 2000 are yielding benefit even today, his biographer Abhirup Bhattacharya says . He led India to 11 wins from 28 away Tests, one of the highest ever tallies for an Indian captain. Ganguly, who played from 1992 to 2008, finished his career with 18,576 runs in 424 internationals remaining one of the best-ever batsman to have played for India. It is indeed an achievement to make his country proud of him .
