Former Indian captain and current president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly turns 49 on Thursday (July 8), and greetings from all over the world are flooding in for him. Ganguly is considered one of the best leaders in the history of the game, and his impact on Indian cricket is incalculable. The experienced excelled in whatever position he played, whether it was having to work bowling from his hand or making accurate on-field judgments. Sourav Ganguly Birthday.
Ganguly made his international debut in 1992 but struggled to make an immediate impact due to a disappointing first few years in Team India colours. Things have changed for the lefty in 1996, when he earned his first Test cap. The quick batsman made the world take notice with a hundred on debut at Lord’s and another ton in Nottingham.
After that, the left-handed batsman did not turn back scoring one spectacular score after another in Tests and ODIs. An aspect of Ganguly’s play surfaced after he stepped over as captain at a time when Indian cricket was troubled by match-fixing allegations. The legendary cricketer took up the challenge and transformed the national team’s image.
Ganguly led the side from the front, inspiring discipline and fearlessness in the team, and leading them to several victories. The Men in Blue even made it to the final of the 2003 World Cup, when they were defeated by eventual champions Australia. As many players as Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni began their starts under Ganguly and went on to be legends, the lefty was known for bringing out the best in them.
Ganguly’s career was harmed by a notorious incident with former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri in 2005, when the lefty was suddenly dismissed from the team. The famous batsman, like past champions, staged a return and built up a mountain of runs near the conclusion of his career. Ganguly’s international career came to an end with 7212 and 11363 runs in 113 Tests and 311 ODIs, correspondingly.
Ganguly’s impact to Indian cricket didn’t stop when he retired. He was elected president of the BCCI in 2019 and has looked impressive so far. With the Bengal star playing such an important role in the gentleman’s game, social media was filled with birthday wishes. Many cricketers wished him well, appreciating his exploits on the 22-yard line.
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