India cricketers are paying tribute to Sourav Ganguly on his birthday, who has been with India since he was in charge of the team and has been a great cricketer. Ganguly, who has been called Dada, is one of the most influential figures in Indian cricket and one who has been very popular with players and fans.
Ganguly was born on July 8, 1972 and played for India in 113 Tests and 311 ODIs - he scored 7,212 and 11,363 runs respectively. His stroke playing, especially on the off side, was so elegant that he was one of the best left-handed batsmen of his generation. His best innings were 183 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup and 239 against Pakistan in Test cricket, which is still one of his finest performances to this day.
Ganguly’s true legacy is so much more than statistics. At a time when Indian cricket was losing its direction, he emerged as a bold and fearless captain. He gave young players confidence, backed talent and developed a team that worked hard at home and abroad. He was in charge of India for the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, reached the World Cup final of 2003 and had some great overseas success such as a historic Test series win in Pakistan.
Ganguly changed Indian cricket from 2000 to 2005 after the dark days of the game, when the Indian team was not performing well and he did it so well. Ganguly also inspired the young players from the start of the game, such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, and MS Dhoni in his time and the Indian team became great. • He led India to the title of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 and reached the final of the Cricket World Cup 2003.
A photograph of Ganguly waving his shirt to the crowd at Lord's Cricket Ground after that NatWest Trophy final is among cricket's most celebrated moments. • He has scored over 11,000 runs in One Day Internationals and over 7,000 in Test cricket and was known as the God of the Off Side as his wicket is always very beautiful.
Ganguly is also remembered for his fiery personality and iconic moments, none more remembered than his shirt waving celebration at Lord's after India’s NatWest Trophy triumph in 2002. That image was to represent a new, fearless Indian team unwilling to be overawed by reputation or tradition.
As birthday wishes continue to pour in from former teammates, cricket fans and admirers from all generations, the occasion will remind us of Sourav Ganguly’s long and lasting influence on Indian cricket. Ganguly was more than a regular batter or a successful captain; he was a leader who changed the culture of the team. His adventurous style of play, belief in young players and desire to compete with the best in the world inspired a generation of cricketers and gave Indian cricket a new sense of self-confidence and ambition.
