Sourav Ganguly, lovingly known as Dada, holds immense influence in the history of Indian cricket. He is a renowned commentator and has a notable career as the former captain of the Indian national cricket team. Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading batsmen, he has been hailed as one of India’s most successful cricket captains.
Born on 8th July 1972 in Kolkata, India, to Chandidas and Nirupa Ganguly, Sourav hails from a well-off family with his father running a successful print business. Unfortunately, his father passed away in February 2013 after a prolonged illness.
Initially drawn towards football, which is popular in Kolkata, Sourav later developed a passion for cricket. Despite his mother’s initial reluctance to support his sports career, his elder brother, Snehasish Ganguly, who was already an established cricketer, encouraged Sourav’s dreams and convinced their father to enroll him in a cricket coaching camp during summer holidays. Sourav honed his cricket skills and even switched from right-handed to left-handed batting to make use of his brother’s equipment. His talent was recognized after scoring a century against Orissa Under-15, and he eventually became the captain of St. Xavier’s School’s cricket team.
In 1989, Sourav Ganguly earned a place in the Bengal team, coinciding with his brother’s exclusion from the side. He made a mark in the Ranji Trophy during the 1990-91 season, garnering attention and establishing himself as a left-handed batsman of significance.
Sourav Ganguly Cricket Career
Sourav Ganguly, fondly known as Dada, holds a significant influence in Indian cricket history. He currently serves as the 39th President of the BCCI and has had a remarkable cricketing career as a former captain of the Indian national team and a renowned commentator. Born on 8th July 1972 in Kolkata, India, to Chandidas and Nirupa Ganguly, Sourav’s father was a successful businessman. Tragically, his father passed away in February 2013.
Though initially attracted to football, a favourite sport in Kolkata, Sourav later gravitated towards cricket. His elder brother, Snehasish Ganguly, who was already an accomplished cricketer, supported his cricketing aspirations and convinced their father to enroll Sourav in a cricket coaching camp. Sourav even learned to bat left-handed, despite being naturally right-handed, to make use of his brother’s equipment.
Sourav’s cricketing journey began in earnest when he scored a century against Orissa Under-15 and went on to become the captain of St. Xavier’s School’s cricket team. His impressive performances in domestic cricket earned him a spot in the Bengal team in 1989. Coincidentally, his brother dropped from the team that year.
In 1992, Sourav made his ODI debut against West Indies, but it was not an ideal start, and he was dropped from the team due to his perceived arrogance. However, he returned to domestic cricket, performed exceptionally well in the Ranji Trophy, and was called back to the Indian side for a tour of England in 1996. He made his Test debut in the Second Test at Lord’s and scored a century, becoming only the third cricketer to achieve such a feat on debut at Lord’s.
Sourav’s captaincy era was a significant turning point for Indian cricket. He led India to a historic Test victory over Australia, breaking their streak of 16 consecutive Test wins in 2001. He was appointed the captain of the Indian Cricket Team in 2000, following a match-fixing scandal involving some players.
Over the years, Sourav faced ups and downs in his career, but he continued to make notable contributions to Indian cricket. After being dropped from the team, he made a successful comeback and went on to score his maiden Test double century against Pakistan in 2007.
Post-retirement, Sourav remained active in the cricketing world. He took up various roles, such as hosting the reality quiz show “Dadagiri Unlimited” and becoming the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal before eventually becoming the President of the BCCI in October 2019.
Sourav Ganguly’s legacy in Indian cricket is significant, both as a player and as an administrator. His impact on the sport continues to be felt, and he remains an influential figure in the cricketing fraternity.
Sourav Ganguly Family
Sourav Ganguly was born on 8th July 1972 in Kolkata, India, to Chandidas and Nirupa Ganguly. His father was a wealthy businessman with a successful print business. However, Sourav’s mother was initially against him pursuing sports and wanted him to focus on academics. Nonetheless, his elder brother Snehashish, who played cricket for Bengal, supported Sourav’s passion for cricket and helped him in building a career in the sport.
Sourav joined a cricket academy where his batting talent was recognized and honed. He later married his childhood sweetheart, Dona Roy, in February 1997, after eloping due to family disagreements. Despite the initial turmoil, their wedding marked a turning point in his ODI career.
He achieved significant milestones in ODI cricket, scoring his maiden century against Sri Lanka and winning consecutive Man of the Match awards. Sourav also made a remarkable impact in the 1999 World Cup, where he scored an impressive 183 runs against Sri Lanka, which remained his highest score in ODI cricket.
Sourav Ganguly Controversies
In the 1991-92 Australian tour, Ganguly made his ODI debut against the West Indies. There were rumors that he had refused to carry drinks for his teammates, leading to his removal from the team. However, Ganguly later clarified in an interview that it was just a rumor.
During his county cricket stint with Lancashire in 2000, Ganguly faced accusations of “princely behaviour.” Stories circulated about him expecting others to carry his kit bag and handing his sweater to a teammate to carry. Andrew Flintoff even compared him to Prince Charles.
In 2001, there were rumors about Ganguly’s alleged affair with actress Nagma, which caused a stir in the media. However, Ganguly’s wife Dona defended him, stating that it was all baseless and defamatory.
Ganguly’s time as captain was not without controversies. His dispute with coach Greg Chappell made headlines, with Chappell questioning Ganguly’s fitness and leadership style, leading to his removal as captain and being dropped from the team. Rahul Dravid took over as the captain.
Throughout his career, Ganguly had several run-ins with authority. He was banned from matches on three occasions for showing dissent to umpire decisions and once for a slow over-rate. These incidents, along with his struggles for runs and captaincy questions, added to the challenges he faced during his playing days.
Read More:
MS Dhoni Biography
Sourav Ganguly Awards
Sourav Ganguly received several prestigious awards for his remarkable contributions to Indian cricket. In 1998, he was honored with the Arjuna Award. He also won the CEAT Cricketer of the Year award in 2000 for his outstanding batting performances as an opener. The following year, he was recognized with the CEAT Captain of the Year award for his exemplary leadership. In 2004, he received the prestigious Padma Shri Award for his significant contributions to Indian cricket. In 2013, the Government of West Bengal awarded him the Banga Bibhushan Award.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Ganguly: He was given the title ‘Prince of Calcutta’ by former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott. He learned to bat left-handed so that he could emulate his elder brother. At his home, he had an indoor multi-gym and a concrete wicket built. Sourav Ganguly is known to be deeply religious and observes a fast every Tuesday. There’s a housing complex in Kolkata named after him, called the ‘Sourav Housing Complex’. Additionally, a road in Rajarhat, West Bengal, is named after him.
In 2018, Sourav Ganguly published his autobiographical book titled “A Century is Not Enough.”
A biopic on Sourav Ganguly is reportedly in the works, with Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor being considered to portray him on-screen. The film is expected to be a big-budget production, backed by “Luv Films,” and join the league of other cricket biopics like those on Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Mohammad Azharuddin.
