Ritesh Misra, Surat, 11 March 2024
Sourav Ganguly is popularly called Dada by all. He is one of India’s best cricketers of all times and our inspirational former captain. While all probably know everything about Dada, let us still go on this nostalgic journey on the career of this great cricketer.
Debut century at Lords was a tremendous statement. Dada had been in the wilderness for 5 years. There were insinuations about him wanting to be treated as a Maharaja (his nickname), which Sourav in his book “A century is not enough” has denied at length. His recall to the Indian team was much criticized with even the great Kapil Dev saying that the selection committee and its Chairman Gundappa Vishwanath had been guilty of favouritism in selecting Sourav. Dada was clearly on notice.
To add to the pressure, Sourav came in at number 3 with non-regular opener Nayan Mongia at the crease. Conditions were challenging as evidenced by the wily Venkatesh Prasad claiming 5 wickets. However, Dada rose to the occasion and scored a brilliant 131 to take India to safety. The other debutant, Rahul Dravid, who inexplicably came in at number 7, had a super debut too with 95 runs.
Dada followed up his debut ton with a 136 in his second test. A glorious career had started, and so also a terrific partnership with Dravid as well.
Making Steve Waugh wait for the toss is much talked about. Sourav says that the first time he did so, he had forgotten his blazer and did not want the Indian captain to be seen at the toss only in whites while the Aussie captain was formally dressed. However, when he saw that Waugh was getting irritated he decided to repeat it! Waugh, on his part, said that turning up late was a lack of respect for the game. Anyways, Dada had shown a streak of competitiveness which was extremely important while playing the aggressive Aussies.
In that series, Sourav’s young team defeated Australia at Eden Gardens (where VVS Laxman and Dravid had their epic partnership) to end Waugh’s run of 16 Test wins in a row. There was an eerie coincidence. Peter Willey had played the famous Botham’s Test where England had followed on but won. Now at Eden, he was one of the umpires when India, under Dada’s captaincy, followed on and still won.
India then won the test at Chennai to win the series 2-1. This is one of the most memorable moments ever for Indian cricket. Aussie coach John Buchanan said, “Ganguly brought something to the Indian side that we undersold; a steeliness, a resolve, an arrogance; it does not matter who he is playing, he will compete.”
The Natwest series win of 2002 in which India came up trumps from a seemingly dismal situation is remembered for Dada’s wild shirtless celebrations in which he took off his tee-shirt and waved it exuberantly. At Mumbai, just a few months earlier, Andrew Flintoff had done the same when England had drawn the ODI series. Mark Nicholas says this act humiliated and also motivated Sourav who repeated the same after Yuvraj and Kaif pulled off their Houdini Act. As per Nicholas, “Sourav understood how Flintoff and England had affected his people in Mumbai, and judging his moment perfectly, threw it back to them at the cathedral of the game.”
During his book launch, which I attended at Mumbai, Dada said that VVS Laxman (whom he describes as the nicest guy around) tried to stop him from taking off his tee-shirt while Harbhajan asked him, “Dada, can I take off my tee-shirt too?” Dada’s book launch had him in conversation with Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. Rohit said that he was just 14 and he and a group of classmates saw the victory on tv and all of them took off their tee-shirts copying Dada!
The 2003 World Cup could have given Sourav something which earlier Kapil Dev and later MS Dhoni would have – a World Cup win as captain. India, which had been written off, entered the finals versus Australia. Sourav’s decision to put the Aussies in was much debated, but apparently it had rained in the morning and Sourav felt the wicket was a bit damp. Unfortunately, for team India, the sun came out and the Aussies put up a huge 359, which was always going to be a world cup winning total, which it was, especially after man of the tournament Sachin departed early.
Sourav, however, displayed his leadership skills even in the loss. Throughout the tournament, before the match started, he and all players would sign a piece of paper in which was written, “I CAN, WE CAN.” After the defeat, he spoke like an army general to his troops, praised Sachin who had an outstanding tournament, praised the bowlers for bringing the team to the final (even though they had been ordinary in the final) and made a special reference to Anil Kumble’s support even though he had to take the tough decision of dropping Kumble for the final.
In fact, Dada has said that among the most difficult points of his captaincy career was the decision to choose one among Kumble or Harbhajan for the playing 11, if both could not be played. He says that the dropped champion player would come to his room and question him at length, even though he was the team captain.
In his book launch, Sachin asked Sourav, ”So Dada, century at Lords on debut, Test captain, CAB President. What next, BCCI President?” Dada had adroitly ducked, saying that the way Justice Lodha Committee was making everyone ineligible, Sachin would be the only candidate who remained and he would have to take up the offer in the interest of Indian cricket. Well, since then Dada has indeed become BCCI President. As a cricket administrator, one of his successes was in organising a day-night test match in India at the Eden Gardens in 2019, when India took on Bangladesh.
Did Sachin turn into a crystal ball fortune teller on the day of Dada’s book launch? Possibly yes, since Dada did become BCCI President. However, it was a for a short period, and he was later succeeded by 1983 World Cup winning hero Roger Binny.
What next for Dada? Many see him as a potential Chief Minister, but he is not giving any hint of deciding on a political career. Many had thought he may join the BJP. Last year he had accompanied CM Mamata Banerjee on an investors’ summit conference in Spain, and there was speculation of him joining the TMC. The speculations were renewed when he met Mamata Bannerjee in March 2024. On the cricket front, he continues as CAB President, and he also will be Delhi Capital’s Director of Cricket for IPL 2024.
One thing is certain. Dada will always be in the hearts of people. He is a true Icon of India.
