Saurav Ganguly - Dada of Indian Cricket Team

After winning the 1983 ICC ODI Cricket World Cup, the Indian Cricket Team went through a challenging phase in the 1990s. Despite having some of the greatest players of the era, the team struggled to perform at its best in international tournaments. By the early 2000s, it was clear that desperate measures were needed. Although the team had talented players, they lacked the cohesion, leadership and synergy required to win major trophies. That’s when the era of Sourav Ganguly, fondly known as "Dada," began, transforming the Indian Cricket Team forever. Ganguly was a bold leader who made decisions with a vision for long-term success. For instance, he took the unconventional step of using Rahul Dravid as a full-time wicketkeeper in the World Cup to accommodate an extra batsman. Such innovative thinking, coupled with his fearless leadership, helped the team thrive during his captaincy.

In this article by ZAP, let's know more about Dada, Sourav Ganguly, and how he changed the he changed the Indian Cricket Team forever. 

Sourav Ganguly - Early life and Domestic Cricket Career 

Sourav Ganguly was born on 8 July, 1972 (present age 52) and attended the prestigious St. Xavier’s Collegiate School and College in Kolkata. It was his elder brother, Snehasish, who introduced him to cricket. Snehasish himself used to play cricket for Bengal and that was how junior Ganguly got introduced to the gentlemen’s game. In fact, Sourav was naturally right handed, but he became a lefty batsman, only because this way he could use his brother’s equipment. 

Dada made his first class cricket debut in 1989 and in just one year, his stellar performance in first class cricket earned him the India cap. However, due to his arrogant attitude, he was dropped from the team quite early. Then in 1993-94 and 1994-95 season he scored runs consistently in Ranji Trophy, and then in Duleep Trophy which earned him yet another call in the Indian Team. But this time, he cemented his spot and stayed for long. 

Sourav Ganguly - International Career, Runs, Stats and Records

Ganguly played only two formats for India- Tests and ODI. He was 20 when he made his ODI Cricket debut, that was on 11 January, 1992 against West Indies. Then after four years, he made his Test Cricket debut as well, which was on 20 June, 1996 against England.

Ganguly was a left handed batter and right arm medium pacer with a very attacking style of batting, he used to target off side the most. His cover drives and backfoot punches used to reach the fence like a bullet, such was his power and precision.

He holds the record for the highest score by an Indian batsman in an innings in an ODI World Cup. He is the second fastest batsman to score 9,000 ODI runs after Ab de Villiers and one of the only six cricketers to have achieved the unique treble of 10,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches in ODI cricket. 

He was a great leader as well. In 2000, he was named as captain of the Indian Cricket Team and 2 years later, he ended India's 20 year trophy drought by winning the 2002 ICC Champion's Trophy.

One of the most iconic moments of his career came in the final of the 2002 NatWest tri-series between India and England. Chasing a challenging target, India was in trouble at 146 for 5, but the young duo of Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif led a stunning comeback. Overwhelmed with joy after the unexpected victory, Ganguly famously took off his shirt and waved it from the Lord's Stadium balcony, a move inspired by Andrew Flintoff’s similar celebration in Mumbai earlier that year.

Dada's Contribution to the Indian Team

Taking over as captain when Indian cricket was in turmoil, he instilled a new sense of fearlessness and aggression that changed the team's mindset forever. Under his leadership, India transformed from a side often intimidated on foreign soil into fierce competitors who could take on any team, anywhere, with unwavering confidence. Dada was considered a great leader and is often regarded as one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team. He also believed in giving young players their chances to shine and was the one under whom MS Dhoni made his debut for the men in blue. 

In a total of 49 test matches played during his reign, India won 21, lost 13 with 15 draws. In ODIs, 146 matches were played during his tenure, out of which 76 were won, 65 were lost  and remaining 5 went for no result.

Dada played his last test on 6 November, 2008 against Australia and last ODI on 15 November, 2007 against Pakistan. Even after his retirement, people cherish his fighting spirit and leadership style, which has continued to influence the team even today.

Sourav Ganguly - Career Runs and Stats 

Sourav Ganguly, sure is one of the most iconic captains in Indian cricket, but he also had a prolific career with both, the cricket bat and the leather ball, across both Tests and ODIs. In Tests, he played 113 matches, scoring 7,212 runs with a batting average of 42.17 and a strike rate of 51.25, hitting 16 centuries and 35 half-centuries. In ODIs, Ganguly played 311 matches, amassing 11,363 runs at an average of 41.02 and a strike rate of 73.70, including 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries. Across all formats, Ganguly played a total of 424 matches, scored 18,575 runs, and scored a total of 38 centuries and 107 half-centuries. Along with his batting stats, he has also picked up a total of 132 international wickets as a medium pace bowler.

Sourav Ganguly's Role as the BCCI President

Credit: Jagran Josh

Ganguly was felicitated with Padma Shri in 2004. In 2009, he was appointed as chairman of the Cricket Association of Bengal’s Cricket Development Committee. Later, in 2019, he was the president of BCCI. Ganguly brought his extensive experience as a former Indian captain and administrator to the role, focusing on modernizing the structure of Indian cricket and ensuring its growth at both the domestic and international levels. Under his leadership, the BCCI made significant decisions, such as the introduction of day-night Test matches in India and the expansion of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ganguly also emphasized improving player welfare, transparency, and governance within the organization, leaving a lasting impact on Indian cricket administration.

Now that you have read about Sourav Ganguly, here are some more cricket legends we recommend you read about:

Ricky Ponting | Rohit Sharma | Jacques Kallis