Dada Turns 45: Memorable Wins Of India Under Sourav Ganguly

As a player, Sourav Ganguly was always prone to the short ball, which was the biggest weakness of his game. But, he was also the God of the off-side and a master of hitting sixes against spinners. He was blessed with the brain of a true cricket prodigy and a footwork that many envies even today.

However, more than he achieved in his life as a player, he etched his name into the wall of fame of Indian cricket when he took over the captaincy of an inexperienced yet youthful Indian side. What happened from there makes for a great story; the story of the journey of a young boy from Kolkata who led his team to the pinnacle of the cricket world. Talk of the greatest captains in India’s history and his name will come up. That is Sourav Ganguly for you.

Arguably one of the best limited-overs batsmen and one of the best Indian captains ever, Sourav Ganguly turns 45 today. This makes it the perfect occasion to flip through the pages of history books and look at how a young kid inspired a generation of cricketers and led them in some of the greatest wins of all time. Take a look:

Kolkata (2001)

The Aussies were the first to become prey to an exuberant and youthful Indian side in the summer of 2001. India’s victory in Kolkata is considered to be their greatest test victory even after more than a decade. This was the game where a young Ganguly would display his capabilities as a born leader for the first time. The tie was set and well on course for a draw courtesy of solid performances from the usual suspects in Laxman and Dravid but Ganguly made it very clear that he was not going to settle for a draw. He declared India’s innings and made Australia bat on the fifth day of the test.

(Image Courtesy: Scroll.in)

Ganguly's decision would soon pay off as an Indian bowling attack led by Harbhajan Singh was too hot to handle for the Aussies who were bundled out for just 212 as India posted a historic win over them. This was the beginning of an era where Ganguly dominated the cricketing world and led an Indian side to somewhat unexpected victories that will find its place in the eternal folklore of the sport.

Rawalpindi (2004)

Two years after the famous win at Headingley and nothing had changed on the Indian side. Ganguly yet again took a decision to field after winning the toss that surprised the experts but the move would pay off and to what effect. Pakistan’s nemesis first came in the form of Lakhmipathy Balaji who helped in bundling out our arch rivals for 224. Then came Rahul Dravid who helped India post a mammoth 600 runs on the board.

(Image Courtesy: PTI)

The pressure that it mounted on the Pakistani would soon manifest itself on the players as they were bowled out for a measly 245 to announce India’s emphatic inning and 131 runs victory over their perennial rivals.

Headingly (2002)

Our memories of the typical English weather- overcast, breezy, cold; and a great performance by the Indian team against England will perhaps always remain fresh. Ganguly won the toss and chose to bat first; something that the experts claimed to be a huge mistake looking at the overcast conditions. However, that was what Ganguly was all about. He believed in himself and his youthful team and knew that their shot at winning a test match against a potent England side was perhaps by displaying a heroic batting performance. 

(Image Courtesy: Cricinfo)

The way the game progressed displayed how calculated Ganguly’s risk was and the bet he put on his batsmen was really paying off. India ended up scoring a mammoth 628 in their first innings and England couldn’t match that total even after being asked to follow on with their batting after posting a meager 236 in the first innings. India won the match by an innings and 46 runs, a performance that is considered to be one of the best by an away side in England even to this date.

Adelaide (2003)

Whenever people will remember an Indian side that was capable of proving itself not only on home turf but even on foreign, Ganguly’s 2003 side is always going to come up. The victory against Australia in the summer of 2003 was perhaps one of the best moments of Saurav Ganguly’s illustrious career as a player and an able captain. The highlights of the match were such that Australia amassed a huge 550 runs batting first, but the Indian team managed to reduce the deficit batting second due to solid performances from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.

(Image Courtesy: Sydney Morning Herald)

 In the second innings, an unlikely Ajit Agarkar displayed masterful exploits with the ball and took 6 wickets restricting the Aussies to a paltry 196. India was set a target of 230 to win which they did in emphatic style. This win allowed Ganguly’s men to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

A wonderful batsman, a born leader and a part-time sentimentalist who loved to remove his jerseys to celebrate, Sourav Ganguly remains to be one of the greatest and gifted batsmen and leaders of India.

If you want to add more to this, share your opinion and views with us in the comments below! We would love to hear from you.