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controversies surrounding ganguly

Ganguly is an aggressive player and has often attracted controversy. He has attracted the wrath of match referrees quite a few times, the most severe of which was a ban for 6 matches by ICC match referee Clive Lloyd for slow over rates against Pakistan and therefore his tour to Sri Lanka for the Indian Oil Cup 2005 was uncertain. These circumstances led to Rahul Dravid being made captain for the tour. Later, Justice Albey Sachs reduced the punishment from 6 matches to 4, and this permitted Ganguly to join the team, but as a player and not captain. In his opening match he made the highest score of the side (51) taking (110) balls. He was again named captain for the Zimbabwe tour of August-September 2005. With this, he has captained India in the highest number of Tests (50).

During the 2003 World Cup final against Australia, Ganguly won the toss and decided to field. This decision raised eyebrows but Sourav remained confident that there would be moisture on the pitch that would help his bowlers, however the bowlers flopped and Sourav performed poorly with the bat. India went on to lose by 125 runs, a staggering defeat.

Ganguly's performance in the last couple of seasons has been really poor. This put his place in the Indian team under pressure. In the tour of Zimbabwe, in which he was newly reinstated as skipper, Ganguly ground out a painfully slow century, against what is regarded as one of the weakest bowling attacks in international cricket. During the match he told reporters that newly-appointed coach Greg Chappell had asked him to stand down as captain - a comment which Chappell later played down. However, forty-eight hours after saying that he respected the Indian captain and looked forward to working with him in the future, Chappell sent an email to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Both Ganguly and Chappell were summoned to a BCCI board meeting in which they agreed to work together for the good of the team. Rahul Dravid was appointed captain for the series against Sri Lanka and South Africa after Ganguly was not selected for the opening games due to injury. When the two series got over, Rahul Dravid was asked to continue as skipper.


On November 22, 2005, Ganguly stepped down as captain of Bengal cricket team after being replaced as captain of the Indian Test team. He played in the first two Test matches in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka. However, on December 14, he was controversially dropped, for the third Test at Ahmedabad, to make way for Wasim Jaffer, an opening batsman for Mumbai. Jaffer was picked by the selectors as they wished to build up a player selection pool with sufficient experience to succeed at international level.

Despite this, he retained his A-grade contract from the BCCI, in December 2005.

Following the drop, fans blocked roads and railway tracks in Kolkata, burning effigies of chief selector Kiran More and Indian coach Chappell, and the urban development minister of West Bengal, Asoke Bhattacharya, said Ganguly was a victim of the internal politics of the BCCI. [9] Cricinfo editor Sambit Bal wrote in a commentary that this was in all probability ... the end of the road for him. [10] However, it was announced on December 25, 2005 that he was selected as part of the Indian team to tour Pakistan. Kiran More cited his experience as the key reason, with Mohammed Kaif being dropped [11]. He was in the playing XI in the Lahore and Karachi Tests, but was dropped for the Faisalabad match, and has not been recalled since. He was unable to play in the England home series and the West Indies tour.

He was also not selected for the following Tri-series in Sri Lanka. However, he was chosen amongst 30 probables for the ICC Champions Trophy after being left out in the dark for almost close to a year. Ganguly failed in the Challenger Trophy, however, managing less than 30 runs in two games, and so the chances of recall to the ODI side look bleak.

Ganguly later sent an email hitting out at his one time mentor saying that Jagmohan Dalmiya did not deserve to become CAB president as he had played with his career and that Ganguly was a victim of internal politics within the BCCI. This was in the backdrop of the CAB elections which Jagmohan Dalmiya won.

Comeback:
After being dropped from the side for almost eight months, Ganguly was recalled to the Test team for the series against South Africa in December 2006, after an injury to Yuvraj Singh. And after the recall, in his first warm up match against rest of South Africa, he scored fantastic 83 runs when his team was in troublesome position at 69/5. this knock helped India win against rest of South Africa.

He went on to play a crucial knock in the first test match, scoring 51 not out in the first innings in a low scoring game. India went on to win the match, its first win in South African soil for 17 years. Though India ended up losing the next two test matches and thus the series, Ganguly emerged as the top run scorer for India, with an aggregate of 214.

Selected for the one-day team after his successful Test comeback, he started the series against West Indies with a fluent 98, which led to India winning the match. He played his last international ODI before 500 days. After being rested for the third ODI, he again answered his critics with a sparkling 68 in the final ODI to help India win the series 3-1.

sourav ganguly's breif history

Sourav Chandidas Ganguly also known as "Dada" is an Indian cricketer. Born 8 July 1972, lives at Barisha in Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, West Bengal, he made his One Day International debut against Australia in 1992, and a Test debut versus England in 1996. He went on to become the captain of Indian cricket team from 2000 to 2005.

He has led India to the World Cup 2003 finals, and holds the Indian captaincy record for the most Test victories. Following an exit from the national team in early 2006, he was recalled to the Indian Test side in December, staging a successful comeback in the 2006 - 2007 Indian tour of South Africa.

Ganguly is a left-handed batsman and a right-handed medium-pace bowler. He is a natural right-hander, but converted to the southpaw stance at a young age so that he could use his left-handed brother, Snehasish Ganguly's equipment.

Nicknamed Bengal Tiger, Prince of Calcutta and also affectionately called Dada (elder brother in Bengali) by his team-mates and Lord Snooty by his opponents, he is an aggressive player on and off the field. He made his one-day international debut in 1992, but his talents did not truly receive the recognition they deserved until India's 1996 tour of England when he scored centuries both in his debut Test as well as the next match (the second and third Tests of the series).

Ganguly is only the third cricketer ever to score a century on debut at Lord's, after Harry Graham and John Hampshire (Andrew Strauss has also since accomplished the feat). Rahul Dravid once commented, "On the off-side, first there is God, then there is Ganguly”. He scored 183 against Sri Lanka at Taunton in the 1999 Cricket World Cup, the highest by an Indian in World Cup cricket.

He became captain within a year after the world cup and scored 2 centuries in the 2000 champions trophy immediately after. While he has achieved significant successes as captain, his individual performance deteriorated during his captaincy, especially after successes in the world cup and the tour of Australia in 2003 and the Pakistan series in 2004. Following indifferent form in 2004 and poor form form in 2005, he was dropped from the team in October 2005.

He has since remained active on the first class cricket scene in hopes of a recall, but his performance has been mixed - he has hit a couple of centuries in domestic cricket, but his English county stint in 2005 and subsequent appearances in the Challenger Trophy were failures.

Consistent batting failures of the Indian cricket team, more so than his own mediocre to good performances in the domestic circuit led to his recall to the Indian Test squad in November 2006. Although India lost 2-1, Sourav Ganguly was the highest run getter for India, and only batsman to hit more than 200 runs in total. On January 12th 2007 he was recalled for the one day squad as well, where India play host to West Indies and Sri Lanka in a one day tournament. On January 21st, Ganguly hit a match winning 98 against the West Indies.

Sourav Ganguly made his international debut against Australia in India's tour of Australia in 1992. He didn't score much and was dropped from further matches. Four years later, following a good domestic record, he was recalled into the national side for a Test series against England in England.

He made his Test debut at Lords, with a century in that match and repeated the feat in the match which followed. He was retained for the One day team and he went on become a regular in both forms of the game. One of his most memorable performance was in the final of the Independence cup at Dhaka against Pakistan, when the entire Pakistan team walked back in stating bad light along with the umpires, but Ganguly refused to come in. Ganguly scored 124 in that match in darkness, while Hrishikesh Kanitkar scored the winning runs with a boundary.

In 2000, after the match fixing scandal Ganguly was named the captain of the India team. In 2003 under his captaincy India reached the World Cup Final, where they lost to the Australians. Ganguly has scored over 10,000 runs in One Day Cricket and over 5,000 runs in Test cricket, including 12 centuries in Tests and 22 in ODIs.


In terms of number of centuries in ODIs, he is exceeded by Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya. Sourav, along with Sachin Tendulkar, formed by far the most successful opening pair in One Day Cricket, having amassed the highest number of century partnerships (16) for the first wicket. Together, they have scored 5,308 runs at an average of 45.37. Sourav has been succeeded by Virender Sehwag as opener.

He is the third player to cross 10,000 ODI runs and so far the fastest one to do so, after Sachin Tendulkar and Inzamam Ul Haq, and reached 6000, 7000, 8000 and 9000 ODI runs milestones in least number of matches played. Sourav can bowl medium-pacers as well, but has under-achieved in this aspect in Test matches, taking 25 wickets in 84 matches, at an average of 52.47. In 2004, he was awarded the Padma Shri. As of 2006, he is the only Indian captain to win a Test series in Pakistan (although two of the three tests of that series was led by Rahul Dravid).

Sourav Ganguly's 10 year international cricket career could be easily bisected into 2 halves, the pre and the post Y2K eras. The significance of the year 2000 lies not only in the fact that he became the captain of the Indian team but also in the fact that the ICC introduced the one bouncer per over rule in ODIs starting from that year.

This introduction of the rule by the ICC had a negative impact on Sourav Ganguly's batting average, which plunged from a high 45.5 before the year 2000 to a low 34.9 between the 5 year period of 2001-2005. Also, against Test playing nations (which included Zimbabwe and Bangladesh), his overall average plunged further down to 30.66, as did his 'away' average which fell to 29. He managed to score only (6) centuries between 2001-2005, of which 3 centuries were against Kenya & 1 was against Namibia.

This sudden drop in his batting average against Test playing nations after 2001 was clearly a result of the short pitch stuff he had to encounter from opposition bowlers. As S. Rajesh, the assistant editor of Cricinfo analyzes, Sourav Ganguly has been dismissed numerous times fending off the short ball since 2001 and his average of 11.92 against the short ball has been the lowest among contemporary Indian batsman who played more than 80 ODI matches.

The former captain has also been uncomfortable while attempting the 'pull' and the 'hook' shots when bowlers have dug it in short, often lasting less than five(4.89) balls before being dismissed.

Also, Sourav Ganguly's Test career had been riddled with lean patches, the first of which stretched for 3 years from Dec 1999 to Dec 2002, during which his batting average fell to 31.7 in 36 consecutive Test matches over 60 innings.

He averaged 23.5 in 20 ODI matches between Sep 2004 and Sep 2005, before being finally dropped from the ODI side.

Despite his hot and cold streaks Sourav Ganguly is only the third Indian Test match batsman to maintain a career average that never dipped below 40 runs per innings for his entire Test career.

This is more due to his initial career graph, which plummeted alarmingly in the second half of his career. Whereas his contemporaries like Dravid, Tendulkar, Sehwag and Laxman have shown steady improvement in their career graphs, his own happens to have a pronounced downward trend. The other two who achieved this feat are Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin.

Sourav Ganguly also shares with G. R. Viswanath of India the record for scoring at least 10 or more centuries and his team either winning or drawing each and every match in which he scored a century. He also shares with Mohammad Azharuddin the record of scoring two consecutive hundreds in his first two Test matches, though Azharuddin bettered that by scoring a third consecutive hundred in his first three Test matches.

Sourav Ganguly has the highest Test and ODI aggregate of any left-handed batsman India has produced and his 12 Test and 22 ODI centuries are also a record for any Indian left-hander.

It was, however, as captain of the Indian team that Sourav Ganguly's biggest achievements occurred. He led India in a record 49 Test Matches, winning 21 of those, including 12 of them outside India. All three figures are records for Indian Test captains.

He also led India to her first series wins in both Tests and ODIs in Pakistan, a feat that had eluded India for over 50 years. Ganguly also led India to more Test wins (11) outside India between 2000 and 2005 than all Indian captains had done between 1980 and 2000.

He led India to victory over Steve Waugh led Australia in the 2001 Border-Gavaskar trophy which is considered as one of the greatest in Indian cricket history. However, his captaincy record has no doubt been immensely helped by numerous series against the minnows Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Against other teams, his captaincy record 12 wins and 12 losses, which is still better than other Indian captains. He also benefitted immensely from the peaking of all the great Indian players during his tenure - Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Kumble, Srinath and Harbhajan.

November 30, 2006, turned out to be lucky for Sourav Ganguly as the national board of selectors, chaired by Dilip Vengsarkar, decided to reinstate him in the team for the three-Test series against South Africa. The decision came after India had been knocked out early of the Champions Trophy, held in India, as well as losing the opening three games of an ODI series with South Africa.

The selectors decided to back experience in a total reversal of coach Greg Chappell's mission to inject fresh blood into the Indian cricket team and Ganguly was selected alongside VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan, who had also been removed from the Test team recently. Ganguly and Zaheer both fared well. Ganguly emerged as leading run getter for India in the recently concluded Test series with South Africa.

January 12, 2007 Sourav Ganguly was reinstated to the ODI team for the first two ODIs against West Indies. This comes almost after 15 months of his removal from the ODI side in 2005. He staged a good comeback by scoring a match-winning 98 run knock in Nagpur on his return in the first ODI.

He was also selected in the 30 probables list for World Cup 2007 to be held in West Indies starting in March. He will most likely open the innings with Tendulkar as Virender Sehwag has been dropped for the first two ODIs.

This was good news to his fans who believed that India's most successful captain deserved the farewell of a champion. Sourav is a passionate man and fans (possibly selectors too) believe that, after spending ten months in the wilderness, Sourav's desire to succeed at the highest level and his experience will hold him in good stead.

SACHIN TAKES 100 CATCHES

Sachin Tendulkar today joined the list of players who have taken 100 or more catches in Test cricket when he pouched a dolly offered to him at mid-on by Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin on the last day of the fourth and final Test here today.
The batting maestro, who holds several batting records in Tests and ODIs, reached the milestone in his 154th Test to follow compatriots Rahul Dravid (179), Sunil Gavaskar (108), VVS Laxman and Mohd Azharuddin (105) into the record book.

The world record for the most number of catches in a Test career, 181 in 128 matches, stands in the name of Mark Waugh of Australia.

INIDIA TAKES 2 SPOT IN ICC RANKINGS

After defeating Australia by 2-0, India moved on the second spot by repalacing Soth Africa. Now they r on third spot in the ranking

QUOTES AND COMMENTS BY SOURAV

Nobody is a born captain. Most of the time, I have gone on instinct.

- When his captaincy was criticized.


I know what I am. People can label me as they like but it upsets me to hear the word arrogant being used against me. I am not arrogant. Not at all.

- On being called arrogant.


He’s a champion at everything. I really admire him. I am very impressed with the way he approaches life.

- On Rahul Dravid.


The thing I like most about Sachin is his intensity. After being in the game for so long, he still has the same desire to do well for India in any international match. I tell you what, this man is a legend.

- On Sachin Tendulkar.


I am not surprised.

- On Sachin Tendulkar getting 10,000 ODI runs.


Now I was not only the Prince of Calcutta, but I was the monarch of Indian Cricket. I could not comprehend the feelings and emotions that were rising inside me.

- On being appointed captain.


I am here to win games not popularity contests.

- On being criticized by the English media while touring England in July 2002.


I see things differently after Sana’s birth. An event like this changes everybody and it has changed me too. I have become more mature.

- On the birth of his daughter, Sana.


We went around for a long time. She is a lovely person and now we are married and blessed with a beautiful daughter, Sana. She is a terrific woman and has adjusted to our joint family so well that she does not even have time for me! So it’s all happy on this front. "

- About his wife, Dona.


We obviously don't get support from outside, so we support each other and will continue to do so whatever happens in the rest of the tournament.

- On why the ‘huddle’ was invented during the World Cup.


After all the rubbish that was published in the media, I thought it was all over. It hurt very badly.

- Reflecting back on the disastrous Australian Tour in 1992 where media was full of stories on his attitude problems.


I enjoy captaincy. A Captain has to take the responsibility of guarding the interest of his players.

- After being named Captain of the Indian cricket team.


I have scored centuries in matches where Shoaib has bowled and to hear that I'm uncomfortable against him is rather surprising.

- Denying observations that he cannot face Shoaib Akhtar.


Every individual needs to be handled differently. One person might need a pat on the back. Another, an arm around the shoulder. But to seniors like Azhar, Sachin, Ajay, Anil and Javagal, a quiet word would do.

- On how he handles his superstar teammates


There have been angry reactions back home and that is understandable because of our poor showing against Australia. But true supporters are this who not only jump up with the team’s victory but also stand by the team in times of defeats. I was shocked and disappointed to hear what the families of Dravid and Kaif have gone through.

- About the reaction of angry fans back home after India lost badly to Australia in the early stages of the 2003 World Cup.


One off day shattered our World Cup dream.

- After India got thrashed in the 2003 World Cup Final against Australia.


Blood came out like water as soon as the gauze was removed. This is life.

- Talks about the boil on his thigh that forced him to miss the Mohali Test in October 2003.


In no other country is a team written off even before its departure.

- Slams the Indian critics who predicted that India would be thrashed by the home team when they toured Australia in December 2003.


I believe in my ability to score runs and that is what I look to do. It happens sometimes that people get after you. But you have to take in your stride. It’s a professional sport so one has to go ahead.

- After he scored a ton against Australia at Brisbane and proved all his detractors wrong.


We know, and they know, that we can beat them.

- said a rather cocky Sourav after beating Australia.


That's in the past now. We mature as time goes on and I've been captain for three years now, so you start realising things and go ahead.

- Sourav plays down his gamesmanship which got him on the wrong side of Steve Waugh during the 2001 series in India.


You’ve all seen it on TV. We all know the truth don’t we?

- Commenting on a beamer from Shoaib Akhtar during India’s tour of Pakistan in March 2004.


I am a big fan of Kaif. He bats at no. 7, the most difficult position in one-day cricket and he keeps coming up with knocks like this one.

- He said of Kaif after the ecstatic victory in the 4th ODI in Lahore in the Samsung Cup 2004 that kept India in the series.


We will try and pull the chain and stop the train midway!

- When asked how his team plan to counter Shoaib Akhtar, known as the Rawalpindi Express.


To be honest I do not believe in sitting back and taking things which are not right. If it is right, I am up to it, I listen to you, and try to rectify. But if you are not, I am not a sort of person to sit back and listen.

- Ganguly told PTI in an exclusive interview.


I was probably the most loved man when we beat Australia in a Test series a few years back. But I am often the most hated man in India.

- Sourav said about fans in India and their angry reactions when the Team India loses.


Don't stand under the sun waiting for me. I am not going to say anything.

- Sourav refuses to comment on his exclusion in October 2005.


I told my boys that I have kept my record of losing finals intact.

- Sourav Ganguly lets out a wry smile after East Zone lose in the Duleep Trophy final.


Whatever is appearing in the media claiming he has attitude problems and doesn't have good relations with his colleagues is all rubbish. I myself talked to the senior players and there was not a single complaint against Sourav.

- BCCI President Sharad Pawar rubbishes talks of Sourav being a 'demotivator'.


Lara is blessed with great ability. Both Lara and Sachin together with Gavaskar are the three legends of the game.

– Sourav on Lara's record 34th Test 100.


It happens... it happens when two friends fight. I was angry, especially when it came from someone whom you knew for quite some time. You say lot of things when you are angry, but they may be or may not be from the heart.

– Dada on spat with Chappell and patching up if given a chance.


Then, in the 2003 series (on India's tour to Australia), Steve (Waugh) said that let's be on time for the toss now. I said: 'If you behave, I will'.

- Sourav


It's true, a lot of people said I should retire but I still feel I have it in me to play those innings again, and perhaps even better ones. Why else would I be fighting to get back into the Indian team?

– Dada on whether he can return to International cricket after being dropped.


Sourav and I try to spend more time with our daughter and we are more busy in grooming her as a good human being.

– Dona when asked if Sana would be a cricketer or a dancer.


God has been kind... What else can I say? Nothing would’ve happened without God... I’ve been blessed.

- Sourav on his return to the Indian team in Jan 2007.


I don't feel any kind of pressure. There would be some pressure as captain but I am going as a normal player, so I am free.

- Sourav before leaving for the 2007 World Cup in West Indies.


I was training at the Eden Gardens when a local reporter informed me that I was selected. I am happier than the day I made my debut.

- On his recall for the SA tour


I have made a comeback into the team. I don’t dream of things which are not too close. So, I will just stick to my cricket.

- On whether he dreams to captain India again


It’s on hold till I get big runs.

- On whether he is celebrating his return to the team


Lot of people said I should retire but I still feel I have it in me to play those innings again, and perhaps even better ones. Why else would I be fighting to get back into the Indian team?

– On his chances of making a comeback - Nov 2006


I hope it continues. When you pick the right team, you are always going to get the results.

- On India's fortunes changing after his return in South Africa


Since I have played all my life on this ground, it is always a different feeling. It would have been very disappointing if I had missed out. A hundred at Eden is always special. The century here has definitely taken the burden off my shoulders.

- On the ton at Eden Gardens vs. Pakistan


You could say I’m over the moon... It feels really nice.

- On back-2-back tons


Everything in life has to end but I think we still have some more time to go. I want to continue being successful... The hunger hasn't died... Form permitting, I intend playing through 2008.

- On retiring on a high


It is a great feeling. I think it's a huge milestone. Not many in world cricket have played 100 Test matches and 300 One-Day games at a time. So it is good.

- On 100 Tests


A little disappointed but that's the way life goes. It could have been a very good hundred.

- On missing out on getting 200 & 100 in the same Test


I haven’t made technical adjustments... The adjustment has all been in the mind.

- Dada on his changed batting technique since his comeback


I have batted lower down and I missed quite a few hundreds. Me and Laxman suffered a lot, in terms of getting hundreds. It helped that I got to bat at number four in this Test.

- On the secret to his Man of the Series performance


I do not think I am good enough. Answering questions hurled at you after a tournament is something different from facing a camera for a commercial. I would not really like to turn commentator as other former cricketers do; after travelling for so long, I would prefer to be closer home.

- On becoming a commentator or actor after retirement


I would like to be remembered as someone who has taken Indian cricket forward…someone who tried his best every time he went out to play for the country.

- Dada


I wouldn't ever do it again. I am a very mild person, not really expressive.

- On chances of waving his shirt again


If I am not in a good mood, I will keep to myself. I am terribly sensitive. Over the years, after I got hammered, I have hardened. I still react explosively especially when something wrong happens to anyone, even to fellow cricketers. I hate people treating others badly. But if I do not like someone, I will quietly keep away.

– On how he is as a person


It's not an issue. They have got used to me here. The people do not barge into my space. They may approach me and chat for a few minutes, but that is okay.

- Does not rue his lack of privacy


It is not easy living in the public eye… In due course of time you develop a thick skin and learn to handle it. And criticism does not hurt anyone, if you take it in the right spirit. Once I get home, I am completely isolated from what happens outside. I do read the papers and am aware of what happens, but I do not let it affect me too much.

- On living in the public eye


(Smiles)... Doesn't make me a rebel. There were some objections only because I come from a very orthodox family. I was the first person to go in for a love marriage. Living together, my parents had to face a situation where their son was doing his own thing.

- On marrying Dona against the wishes of his family.

QUOTES AND SAYINGS ABOUT SOURAV

The Prince of Calcutta. Two of his special qualities are his intelligence and articulation, both of which have helped him immensely in the world of contemporary cricket. Geoffrey Boycott

Sourav is a great captain and we should be proud of such a leader. Kapil Dev

Sourav’s greatest strength is his mind. He is hardworking - not only in the nets but also mentally. He bounces back. Sachin Tendulkar

On the onside, first there is God, then Sourav Ganguly. Rahul Dravid

We have a young talented side. They have found a good captain in Sourav Ganguly. Indian cricketing legend Mustaq Ali

He is a wonderful batsman and definitely the best captain that India can have. So far he has surpassed my expectations and continues to do so. You rarely come across people like Sourav, he is different, he is special, there can be just one Sourav Ganguly. Indian cricketer Arun Lal

Sourav’s greatest asset is his ability to communicate. He is a naturally very confident person. He encourages his team, is a great motivator and a born captain. He is not the media’s blue eyed boy because he is a very straightforward person, who never minces his words, instead he talks in a no nonsense manner to the press. He shares an extremely healthy rapport with his teammates. His leadership skills are also vouched for by the youngsters in the team. He has phenomenal brand value. He's the new-age Indian, an aggressive go-getter, full of self-belief, determination. Ravi Shashtri

Ever since Sourav became the captain, I do not feel like a youngster in the team any more. Everybody is treated equally and Sourav himself is extremely approachable and a pillar of strength. Sourav stood by me when I was struggling. I owe a great deal to him for standing by me at the most important time. I can't express my gratitude to him in words. Harbhajan Singh

He is the first one to encourage us when we perform well. He is firm but he is fair. He is a very tough and aggressive captain, who is on all accounts, a team man, one who backs his players. Off the field, he is very easy and approachable. He also shows a great interest in all his juniors and their game. When I wasn’t selected for a particular tour of England, Sourav personally called me up and told me how he too had gone through a bad patch and then things had improved for the better, just as they would for me. Deep Dasgupta

The Bengal tiger always has his tail up, ready to devour the opposition. Navjot Singh Sidhu

Sourav is really the best captain India has ever had. Sunil Gavaskar

A great captain who is hungry for success and is also an extremely competitive world class performer. Carl Hooper

His offside has become so strong that unless he commits a mistake on his own, it is absolutely impossible to get him out in that region. A world class batsman, indeed. Heath Streak

His biggest asset is his freakish sense of timing. When playing his big shots, he could be very dangerous. Shaun Pollock

The best thing about him is his ambition and eagerness to learn. He will be remembered in history as one of the all time best left handed batsmen. He is a player right on the lines of Ian Chappell. He is a dare devil, and doesn't care too much about what the world thinks of him. Coach of Bengal, Sambaran Banerjee

He is a brilliant player and definitely a force to reckon with! Wasim Akram

He’s very competitive and knows what he wants. He has developed toughness in character and that is what is needed for Indian cricket. Ganguly has proved to be one of the best captains. He has now acquired great leadership qualities. Steve Waugh

A quality batsman. There are a couple of things I like about his batting. He is right up there on my list, as far as offside play goes. The other thing he excels at is his use of feet to spinners. He keeps his head down, has nice footwork and a lovely long follow-through. I really enjoy it when he comes down the track to spinners. In fact, you can safely bet that it would go for a six. Ian Chappell

Sourav has done an excellent job of balancing his captaincy with his personal game. He looks like he is enjoying being captain. And effectively, he has lightened the burden on Sachin Tendulkar. Dave Whatmore

Sourav’s calm and assured presence sets him apart. His captaincy is of a high order but he bats sensibly and reads situations well. I hope Sourav too becomes a World Cup wining captain. Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar

I am an avid follower of the game and Sourav is one of my favorite players. He is one of the best southpaws and his powerful cover drives are a pleasure to watch. Actor Sunil Shetty

I think he is the best captain we have had in recent times. He is so very competitive and aggressive. And I like it more when he is the ‘bad boy of cricket’ and he gives it back as good as he gets. Actor Vivek Oberoi

Sourav is the number one batsman in the world today! Tennis champion, Leander Paes

Besides football, the only other game I ever took interests in was basketball, but never cricket. Sourav is the sole reason why I am a cricket lover today. He has worked very hard to reach the position he is in today and that makes him really admirable. Best-known footballer and captain of Indian Football team, Baichung Bhutia

Getting married to Sourav was always special. Over the years our relationship has become better and better. Sourav is a nice person, though he is a bit quiet. He is quite caring, possessive, thinks a lot about his cricket and tries to improve. Wife, Dona Ganguly

He was a brilliant student so I thought that since my elder son would become a player, my younger one could become an engineer or doctor. I am so happy that even though Sourav has achieved so much, we as a family are still the same. 1996 or 2007, as a person Sourav has not changed a bit. - Mother, Nirupa Ganguly

He may be a celebrity to the world but we treat Sourav very normally at home. Father, Chandi Ganguly

I captained Sourav in the East Zone. He was a majestic player. I have not seen anybody play a cover drive as well as Sourav. He is very busy, nevertheless, he is so approachable that one will always find the youngsters of the team crowding around him and discussing cricket and swapping strategies. Former domestic cricketer Saba Karim

Whatever be the complex situations, the Indian team under Ganguly has moved to great heights. The fact of the matter is that Ganguly is determined to stay focused. Brett Lee

I have known Ganguly as a quiet lad, who always respected the seniors and lent an ear to any advice that came from them. This was the quality that impressed me most in this determined cricketer and I was not averse to giving him a break as early as possible. Mohammed Azharuddin

Sourav has given them [the Indian team] that confidence and ability to target teams or individuals at key times. John Buchanan, Australian coach

Whatever I have seen of his captaincy, I liked it. Arjuna Ranatunga, former Sri Lankan skipper

Ganguly is a very good leader. His return to the field brings a spring in the steps of the Indians. He is a great player. Ricky Ponting

I respect Sourav Ganguly as a captain, leader, and a good player. Stephen Fleming

Sourav's best quality is that he has the ability to remain unperturbed even when he faces severe criticism. Javagal Srinath

India has some outstanding batsmen and I have always admired Ganguly. Inzaman-Ul-Haq

Ganguly is equally adept in all departments of the game - batting, bowling and fielding. He has improves our position in the world of cricket. Bollywood actor Sunil Dutt

The great thing about Sourav is that he doesn't let any criticism bother him. He is his own man, and an intensely determined one. He always speaks his mind. His batting is a unique mix of touch and power. When he plays those drives, it's all touch, all elegance. Timing is his gift. He has the ability to not only clear the ropes but even the stadium. Against spin, my god, he is really a murderer! One thing I'd love to have from his game is his the ability to clear the ropes. As a captain, he is always encouraging his batsmen, reminding them of past successes. Sourav is among the best one-day players I have seen. VVS Laxman

There is nothing wrong with his captaincy. He has marshalled his troops quite well and moulded the side into a winning outfit in the last few years. Syed Kirmani

Ganguly is the new Steve Waugh of mind games. Ian Healy

I have the highest regard for Sourav as a cricket player — his credentials are impeccable. The comments attributed to Sourav regarding me are part of a misinformed campaign. BCCI Cheif Ranbir Singh Mahendra

Sourav's temperament, passion, aggression and ability to take risks in the role of captain is unmatched. Bollywood actress Mandira Bedi

Sourav is a very positive captain. Whatever his personal form, whatever the media writes about him, he has always been strong, focused and aggressive. Perhaps these are the qualities that make him India's most successful captain. Virender Sehwag

We have had a good working relationship. He has got a tough job. We had different ideas sometimes and we got on pretty well. I have challenged him and he has challenged me. His form has been up and down and that can be tough. I suppose we’ve been lucky. Sourav and I complement each other. We are two different personalities. He is softer than me. I probably spoke my mind in the change rooms in a rougher way than him. Sourav and I formed an odd couple but it seems to have worked. Former Indian coach, John Wright

I've worked with Sourav and I enjoy his company. I found him to be likeable and a very nice fellow. It will be good to renew the acquaintance. Greg Chappell

Sourav Ganguly has been an excellent captain, his record speaks for himself. I found him to be a tough competitor and every Indian should feel proud of Sourav. Former England captain Nasser Hussain

Ganguly has done a lot for Indian cricket, if you see the last five years' figures he has won more matches than any other captain. Laxmipathy Balaji

Sourav has got a huge role to play in Indian cricket and its success. I hope certainly that he gets back in there because he is a hell of a good player and he still has got too much to offer to Indian cricket. Allan Donald

He has got a lot of runs and we have a huge respect for him. Graeme Smith

I have seen Ganguly bat and he can make a difference. – Graeme Pollock

He lends credibility to the batting order. – Gary Kirsten

Sourav has got a huge role to play in Indian cricket and its success. I hope certainly that he gets back in there because he is a hell of a good player and he still has got too much to offer to Indian cricket. - Allan Donald

I’m so looking forward to the 2007 World Cup. I want to see my Ganguly perform. - Actor Paresh Rawal

The Indian team does not need any best wishes — they are going to win anyway. I have been close to Sourav Ganguly, and I hope he does well in the World Cup. - Actor Amitabh Bachchan

Let me be honest to tell you that on the TV screen he looks different. He is a very warm person when you actually meet him. - Mahendra Singh Dhoni

He's the type of bloke you would want to have on your side. When you see an Indian side with Ganguly in the line-up, you know it's game on. You don't have to like or dislike him. You have to respect him. - Steve Waugh

I’ve learnt so much from Sourav. He has played 15 years of cricket. Sitting down with him and getting to know phenomenal. - David Hussey