The Rise of Sourav Ganguly: Triumphs, Struggles, and Legendary Cricketing Moments

• by admin
• April 21, 2023

Sourav Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian cricket team. Born on July 8, 1972, in Kolkata, Ganguly is widely regarded as one of India’s greatest cricket captains of all time. He was a left-handed opening batsman and an occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler.

Ganguly made his debut for India in 1992 but didn’t establish himself as a regular member of the team until 1996. He is best known for his batting skills and his aggressive captaincy style. Ganguly was a fearless leader who wasn’t afraid to take risks and back his players. Under his captaincy, India reached the final of the 2003 Cricket World Cup and won the NatWest Series in England in 2002.

Struggles

Sourav Ganguly’s early days in cricket were marked with several struggles, particularly when it came to his form and consistency. While he was a talented player, he was prone to getting out cheaply and struggled to convert his starts into big scores.

Ganguly’s initial struggles were evident in his performance during the 1992-93 Ranji Trophy season, where he only managed to score 161 runs in six matches at an average of 16.10. His poor form continued in the following season, where he scored just 174 runs in seven matches at an average of 14.50.

Despite his poor performances, Ganguly’s talent and potential were recognized by the selectors, who included him in the Indian team for the 1992-93 tour of Australia. However, he only played one match on the tour and was unable to make an impact.

Ganguly’s struggles continued in the domestic circuit, but he finally hit form during the 1996-97 season. He scored 913 runs in nine matches at an average of 65.21, including a career-best score of 239 against Haryana. His performances earned him a place in the Indian team for the tour of England in 1996.

Ganguly’s struggles and subsequent comeback serve as a testament to his resilience and determination. He could have easily given up on his dream of playing for India after his poor performances, but he continued to work hard and improve his game.

His hard work paid off when he scored a century on his Test debut against England at Lord’s in 1996. Ganguly became the third Indian player to score a century on debut at Lord’s after Dilip Vengsarkar and Gundappa Viswanath. He followed it up with another century in the next Test match at Trent Bridge, becoming the third player in history to score centuries in both innings of his debut Test.

Ganguly’s performances during the England tour cemented his place in the Indian team, and he went on to have a long and successful career, both as a player and as a captain. He played 113 Tests and 311 One-Day Internationals for India, scoring 7212 and 11363 runs respectively. He also captained India in 49 Tests and 146 ODIs, leading them to several memorable victories, including the famous NatWest Trophy win against England in 2002.

Best Innings

Ganguly played some memorable innings that will be etched in the memories of cricket fans forever. Here are some of his best innings:

1. 183 vs Sri Lanka, 1999 World Cup: This knock by Ganguly is considered one of the best innings in World Cup history. Batting first, India were in a spot of bother at 115/3 before Ganguly launched a brutal assault on the Sri Lankan bowling attack. He smashed 17 fours and 7 sixes on his way to a breathtaking 183, which helped India post a mammoth total of 373/6. India went on to win the match by 157 runs, and Ganguly was adjudged the Man of the Match.
2. 131 vs South Africa, 1997: This innings is considered a turning point in Ganguly’s career. He had struggled in his initial outings in international cricket and was under immense pressure to perform. Chasing a target of 282, Ganguly walked out to bat at number 3 and proceeded to play a magnificent innings. He batted with great flair and panache, scoring 131 off just 146 deliveries, with 20 fours and a six. India won the match comfortably and Ganguly’s career took off from there.
3. 144 vs Australia, 2003: This innings by Ganguly is considered one of his finest. India were facing Australia in the finals of the TVS Cup, and were chasing a target of 284. Ganguly came out to bat at number 3 and proceeded to play a masterful innings. He scored 144 off just 196 deliveries, hitting 14 fours and 3 sixes in the process. India won the match by 2 wickets, and Ganguly was adjudged the Man of the Match.
4. 98 vs Pakistan, 1997: This innings by Ganguly is considered one of the finest in a losing cause. Batting first, India were struggling at 58/5 before Ganguly walked out to bat. He proceeded to play a magnificent innings, scoring 98 off just 133 deliveries, with 12 fours and a six. Ganguly’s innings helped India post a total of 222, but it wasn’t enough as Pakistan won the match by 4 wickets. Despite the loss, Ganguly’s innings was widely praised for his grit and determination.
5. 107 vs England, 2002: This innings by Ganguly is considered one of his most important. India were facing England in the Natwest Series final, and were chasing a target of 326. Ganguly came out to bat at number 3 and proceeded to play a brilliant innings. He scored 107 off just 111 deliveries, hitting 10 fours and 3 sixes in the process. India won the match by 2 wickets, and Ganguly’s shirt-waving celebration at Lord’s became one of the iconic moments in Indian cricket history.

Ganguly’s batting record is impressive. He scored 7,212 runs in 113 Test matches at an average of 42.17, including 16 centuries and 35 half-centuries. In One Day Internationals, he scored 11,363 runs in 311 matches at an average of 41.02, including 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries. His highest score in Tests is 239, and his highest score in ODIs is 183.

One of Ganguly’s most memorable innings came in the 2002 NatWest Series final against England at Lord’s. India was chasing a target of 326, and they got off to a terrible start, losing three wickets for just 25 runs. Ganguly then came to the crease and played one of the most famous innings in Indian cricket history. He scored 60 runs off just 43 balls, including 10 fours and a six, to give India a chance to win the match. Although he was eventually dismissed, India went on to win the match by two wickets, thanks to a brilliant innings by Mohammad Kaif.

Another memorable innings by Ganguly came in the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. In the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India was following on after being bowled out for just 171 in their first innings. Ganguly then played a brilliant innings of 144, including 18 fours and 3 sixes, to help India set a target of 384 for Australia. India went on to win the match by 171 runs, thanks to some brilliant bowling by Harbhajan Singh, who took 13 wickets in the match.

Captaincy

Sourav Ganguly, also known as the ‘Prince of Kolkata,’ is considered one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team. He took over the captaincy in 2000, and under his leadership, the team achieved numerous victories in both home and away matches. In this article, we will look at some of the best wins of the Indian cricket team under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy.

1. India vs Australia, Kolkata Test, 2001 The Kolkata Test match of 2001 is considered one of the greatest Test matches of all time. The Australian cricket team, led by Steve Waugh, had won 16 consecutive Test matches and were on the verge of setting a new world record. In the first innings, Australia scored a mammoth total of 445, while India was bowled out for just 171. Following on, India was struggling at 232 for 4 when Sourav Ganguly joined Rahul Dravid in the middle. The duo put up a partnership of 376 runs, with Ganguly scoring 144 runs. The match ended in India’s favor, with Australia being bowled out for just 212 runs, giving India a historic victory.
2. India vs Pakistan, Natwest Series Final, 2002 The Natwest Series final of 2002 is remembered for Ganguly’s shirtless celebration at Lord’s after India’s victory. Batting first, India scored 325 runs, with Ganguly scoring a brilliant century. In response, Pakistan got off to a good start, but the Indian bowlers pulled things back, and Pakistan was bowled out for 273, giving India a win by 48 runs.
3. India vs England, Natwest Series Final, 2002 The Natwest Series Final of 2002 between India and England was a nail-biting encounter. India batted first and scored 326 runs, with Ganguly once again leading from the front with a brilliant 60 off 43 balls. England gave a tough fight, and the match went down to the wire, with England needing 11 runs off the last over. But Mohammad Kaif’s excellent fielding in the deep and Harbhajan Singh’s tight bowling helped India win the match by just 2 runs.
4. India vs Australia, Adelaide Test, 2003 The Adelaide Test of 2003 is considered one of the greatest Test matches played by India under Ganguly’s captaincy. India had lost the first Test of the series, and the pressure was on the team to make a comeback. Batting first, Australia scored a massive total of 556 runs, with Ricky Ponting scoring a double century. In reply, India was struggling at 85 for 4 when Rahul Dravid joined VVS Laxman in the middle. The duo put up a partnership of 303 runs, with Laxman scoring 148 runs and Dravid scoring 233 runs. India declared at 523 for 7, setting a target of 230 runs for Australia. The Indian bowlers bowled with discipline and bundled out Australia for just 196 runs, giving India a historic victory.
5. India vs Pakistan, Test series, 2004 In 2004, India toured Pakistan for a Test series, and Sourav Ganguly’s team created history by winning the series 2-1. In the third Test match, India was struggling at 61 for 4 in the second innings, chasing a target of 274 runs. But Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman once again put up a brilliant partnership of 171 runs, with Dravid scoring 72 runs and Laxman scoring 67 runs. India won the match by just 9 runs, clinching the series
6. India’s win against England at Lord’s in 2002 – India had not won a Test match at Lord’s in over a decade, but Ganguly led the team to a famous victory in 2002. After being put in to bat first, India scored a respectable 295 runs in the first innings, with Ganguly himself scoring a brilliant century. In reply, England were bowled out for just 193 runs, with Ajit Agarkar taking six wickets. India batted aggressively in the second innings and set England a target of 568 runs. The Indian bowlers then dismissed England for just 209 runs, with Anil Kumble taking four wickets.
7. India’s win against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup – India and Pakistan met in a crucial match of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. India batted first and posted a total of 300 runs, with Ganguly scoring a century. Pakistan got off to a great start in their chase but lost wickets at crucial moments. India eventually won the match by six wickets, with Sachin Tendulkar scoring an unbeaten 98 runs.
8. India’s win against South Africa at Johannesburg in 2006 – In a high-scoring match, India chased down a target of 275 runs with ease, thanks to a brilliant century by Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 141 runs off just 148 balls, and India won the match by eight wickets with over six overs to spare.
9. India’s win against Australia at Nagpur in 2008 – In a crucial match of the 2008 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India batted first and scored 441 runs in their first innings, with Sourav Ganguly scoring a century. Australia were bowled out for just 355 runs in their first innings, and India enforced the follow-on. Australia batted better in their second innings but were eventually bowled out for 209 runs, giving India a victory by 172 runs. This was Ganguly’s final Test match for India, and he retired on a high note.

These wins were crucial for the Indian cricket team and played a significant role in establishing Ganguly as one of the greatest captains in Indian cricket history.

Ganguly retired from international cricket in 2008, but he continues to be involved in the sport. He has served as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is currently serving as a commentator for various cricket tournaments.

In conclusion, Saurav Ganguly was not only an exceptional cricketer but also a great captain and a role model for millions of cricket fans around the world. His aggressive style of captaincy and his fearless batting made him one of the greatest players in Indian cricket history. His contributions to Indian cricket will never be forgotten, and he will always be remembered as one of the legends of the game.

Sourav Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian cricket team. Born on July 8, 1972, in Kolkata, Ganguly is widely regarded as one of India’s greatest cricket captains of all time. He was a left-handed opening batsman and an occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler.