Cricket

Sourav Ganguly's Iconic Celebration: A Moment Etched in Indian Cricket HistoryOn July 13, 2002, at the hallowed Lord's Cricket Ground, Sourav Ganguly etched his name into the annals of Indian cricket with an iconic celebration that remains a cherished memory for fans. After India's thrilling come-from-behind victory in the NatWest Series final against England, Ganguly, the Indian captain, shed his jersey and waved it triumphantly, a gesture that symbolized the team's resilience and determination.The victory was particularly significant as it broke India's nine-match losing streak in ODI finals. England had posted a formidable total of 325 for 5, with Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain amassing a 185-run partnership. India's chase got off to a promising start with Ganguly and Virender Sehwag providing a 106-run opening stand. However, the middle order faltered, leaving India reeling at 146 for 5.Enter Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, two young guns who turned the tide with a fearless batting display. They forged a 121-run partnership, injecting life into India's chase. Kaif remained unbeaten on 87, while Yuvraj contributed a flamboyant 69.With the match hanging in the balance, Zaheer Khan and Kaif sealed the victory in the final over, sparking wild celebrations on the Lord's balcony. Ganguly, shirtless and waving his jersey, led the jubilation, a moment that became an enduring image in Indian cricket history.The NatWest Series triumph was a watershed moment for Indian cricket, marking the beginning of an era of dominance under Ganguly's leadership. It also showcased the team's fighting spirit and ability to overcome adversity, qualities that would become synonymous with the "Ganguly era."

Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian cricket captain and current Director of Cricket for the Delhi Capitals, celebrated his 52nd birthday on July 8th. The legendary cricketer received heartfelt wishes from his former teammates, Manoj Tiwary and Munaf Patel, as well as his former IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders.Tiwary, who played under Ganguly's captaincy at KKR, expressed his admiration and love for the birthday boy. "You are, you were, and you will always be an inspiration. Love you Dada and wishing you a very happy birthday," he tweeted.Patel, a former Indian fast bowler, praised Ganguly's contributions to Indian cricket. "A big hand of this guy in the development of #IndianCricketTeam where we are today. A very #HAPPYBIRTHDAY legend @SGanguly99. Wishing you a healthy life ahead #Dada," he wrote.KKR, where Ganguly led the team to two IPL titles, also extended their wishes. "Maharaja. Dada. The Prince of Kolkata. Happy Birthday, Sourav Ganguly," they tweeted.Ganguly's illustrious career spanned over two decades, during which he established himself as one of the most successful captains in Indian cricket history. Known for his aggressive leadership style, he led India to numerous victories, including the historic NatWest Trophy triumph in 2002.As a batsman, Ganguly was renowned for his elegant strokeplay and ability to score runs in all conditions. He made his Test debut in 1996 and quickly became a mainstay in the Indian batting lineup. He scored over 18,000 international runs, including 38 centuries and 107 half-centuries.After retiring from international cricket, Ganguly continued to play in the IPL and served as a mentor and coach for various teams. He is currently the Director of Cricket for the Delhi Capitals, where he plays a key role in shaping the team's strategy and performance.Ganguly's birthday celebration was a testament to his enduring legacy in Indian cricket. His contributions as a player, captain, and administrator have left an indelible mark on the sport, and he continues to inspire generations of cricketers and fans alike.

The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, is poised to make history as it faces South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday. This marks the second World Cup final for India in just eight months, following their heartbreaking loss to Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed his confidence in Rohit's leadership, stating that he has "gone into the final unbeaten" in both World Cup finals he has played. Ganguly credits Rohit's captaincy and leadership qualities for India's success, highlighting his role in guiding the team to the summit clash.Ganguly also acknowledged the challenges of winning an IPL title, emphasizing that it can sometimes be more difficult due to the tournament's duration. However, he stressed that the honor of winning a World Cup is greater, and he hopes Rohit can lead India to victory."I don't think he can lose two World Cup finals in seven months," Ganguly said. "He will probably jump into the Barbados ocean if he loses two finals under his captaincy in seven months."Ganguly praised Rohit's batting prowess and leadership from the front, expressing his hope that India will play with freedom and finish on the right side. He also acknowledged the importance of luck in winning big tournaments and wished the team well.India has been the dominant force in the T20 World Cup 2024, winning all their matches in the tournament. They will be aiming to extend their unbeaten streak and claim their first ICC title since 2013.

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has hinted that Gautam Gambhir is likely to succeed Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian cricket team after the T20 World Cup."I think he will be the next coach (for Team India)," Ganguly told reporters.Dravid's tenure as head coach ends after the T20 World Cup, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is in the process of making a decision on his replacement. Dravid has expressed his desire not to renew his contract."Every game I have coached for India is important. This is the last tournament in job. I have enjoyed coaching India, it is great to work with these boys. It is a special job. But there are schedules where I find myself that at this stage of my life, I won't be able to apply," Dravid had said earlier.Gambhir is considered a frontrunner for the role of head coach. He was a successful left-handed opener for the Indian team and has served as the team mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR won their third IPL trophy this season under Gambhir's guidance.Ganguly praised the Indian team for reaching the T20 World Cup final. "To get to two World Cup finals in 7 months speaks volumes about the capability & strength of the team...They will not make any changes to the team and this is Rohit Sharma's leadership style. It will be the same team...I wish they win it tomorrow," the 51-year-old added.India will face South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has lauded Rohit Sharma's captaincy skills, attributing them to India's undefeated streak in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Ganguly urged the team to approach the final against South Africa with an unrestrained mindset, aiming to end an 11-year drought without an ICC title.Ganguly praised Rohit's leadership qualities, highlighting his record of winning five IPL titles and his ability to lead India to two World Cup finals while remaining unbeaten. He believes that Rohit's hesitation to assume the captaincy initially has been overcome, and he has now become a confident and effective leader.Ganguly acknowledged that winning the IPL can be more challenging due to its extended length, but emphasized that the honor of winning a World Cup is greater. He expressed confidence in India's ability to secure the title, citing their dominant performance throughout the tournament.Despite India's near misses in major tournaments since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, Ganguly remains optimistic. He believes that reaching the finals is a positive sign, and that India's consistent dominance in the competition makes them the favorites.Ganguly also commented on South Africa's historic achievement of reaching the World Cup final for the first time since their reintegration into international cricket. He acknowledged the significance of this moment for South African cricket.Regarding Virat Kohli's average performance in the tournament, Ganguly believes that he should continue opening the batting. He emphasized that Kohli's past achievements and status as an institution for Indian cricket should not be diminished by a few poor matches.Ganguly dismissed claims that the ICC has given India an advantage by selecting a spin-friendly venue for the semifinal in Guyana. He also rejected allegations that broadcasters have favored India with the 8pm IST time slot for their matches.Ganguly asserted that India's dominance in world cricket is due to their performance, broadcast reach, and financial contributions. He believes that India's strong position in the sport is justified and reflects their status as a major force in international cricket.

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has advocated for Virat Kohli to open the batting alongside skipper Rohit Sharma in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. Ganguly believes that Kohli's exceptional performance as an opener for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2024 IPL season, where he won the Orange Cap, should be replicated in the international arena.Kohli's remarkable IPL campaign saw him amass 741 runs in 15 matches, averaging an impressive 61.75 with a century and five fifties. His highest score was an unbeaten 113, and his strike rate of 154.69 was the highest he has ever achieved in a single IPL season.Ganguly emphasized the importance of Kohli playing with the same freedom and aggression he displayed in the second half of the IPL. He believes that Kohli's ability to dominate the opposition and score at a rapid pace will be crucial for India's success in the T20 World Cup."I want Virat to bat the way he did for RCB in the second half of the IPL. He has to bat with freedom. Needless to say, he is a great player, but for India to do well, Virat will have to bat with freedom like he did in the IPL," Ganguly stated.Ganguly also praised wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who made a strong comeback to professional cricket after a serious car accident in December 2022. Pant's impressive performance in the IPL, where he scored 446 runs at an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40, has earned him Ganguly's admiration.Ganguly highlighted Pant's unique ability to find angles on the ground and expressed confidence in the 26-year-old's potential to make a significant impact in the T20 World Cup. "He is a very special talent. His keeping is good, but his batting really special. He is capable of picking some great angles in the ground, and that's his USP. Not every player will be able to do that, you see. And that's what makes Pant very important for India," Ganguly said.India will be eager to end their ICC trophy drought in the T20 World Cup, having last won an ICC event in 2013. The team has reached the finals and semifinals of various ICC tournaments since then but has failed to secure a major trophy. India will aim to win their first T20 World Cup title since their inaugural victory in 2007 in South Africa.

Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain and current director of cricket for the Delhi Capitals, has expressed his support for retaining the impact-player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he believes that teams should make their decisions regarding the impact player before the toss.The impact-player rule allows teams to substitute a player from their bench into the playing XI during the match. This rule has been a topic of discussion after the recent IPL season, which saw a significant increase in high-scoring matches. Ganguly believes that the rule adds an element of strategy and skill to the game."I like the impact player rule. My only thing with IPL is that I just want the grounds to be a bit bigger. The fences should go a little behind," Ganguly said. "It is a great tournament. The only thing you can do with the impact player is decide before the toss, so it's a bit of skill there."Ganguly also commented on the performance of Prithvi Shaw, who had a disappointing IPL season. He emphasized that Shaw is still a young player and needs time to adjust to the demands of T20 cricket."He (Prithvi Shaw) is a young kid. He is just 23. He is still learning how to play T20 cricket. He is a very fine talent and he will get better. Sometimes, we expect too much too early from everyone and I am sure Prithvi, with the skills he has, he will do well," he added.Ganguly praised Rishabh Pant for his return to form after his car accident in 2022. He believes that Pant has worked hard to regain his fitness and skills."He was superb for us (DC) in the IPL. I was so happy to see the way he came back, because I have always said that he is a special player," Ganguly said. "Even earlier, I have said that he is exceptional. You don't want such talent to be lost for such disastrous reasons (accident). He has really worked hard to get back to where he is and he is the Rishabh Pant of old."Ganguly also expressed his hope that Wriddhiman Saha, the wicketkeeper-batter, will be selected by the Bengal selectors. Saha has expressed his desire to return to Bengal after playing for Tripura for two years."He wants to play for Bengal and rightfully so. He is a Bengal boy," Ganguly said. "He went away to Tripura for two years because he was playing there as a professional. He has finished that and he wants to be in Bengal. I am sure the selectors will pick him for Bengal."

The highly anticipated first-round clash between archrivals India and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup is set to take place on June 9 at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Both teams are considered favorites to advance to the Super 8 stage from Group A, which also includes Ireland.India, led by experienced captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, is aiming to reclaim the title they won at the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007. Former Indian captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly believes that India has a strong chance of winning the World Cup, but he cautions that Pakistan will pose a formidable challenge in the Twenty20 format."Our record against Pakistan has been very good over a long period of time," Ganguly said. "In the T20 format, probably Pakistan is more dangerous compared to 50-overs (format). We beat them in Ahmedabad when they came to India and we beat them easily."However, Ganguly emphasized that India must play with freedom and without fear to maximize their chances of success. "Just put all the cobwebs behind. Don't worry about winning or losing. Don't think about winning the World Cup. Just go and play every game," he advised.Ganguly also praised India's talented squad, which includes Kohli, Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dubey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, and Sanju Samson. "That's why I say everyone is capable of winning it for India and the only way they will do it is (if they) just play with freedom," he said.Regarding the drop-in pitches that will be used in the USA leg of the World Cup, Ganguly expressed optimism that they will be batting-friendly. "I am very keen to see how the conditions are in the US. (The Nassau County Cricket Stadium is a) new ground, new stadium. I know there have been drop in pitches from Adelaide," he said."The ICC has spent a lot of money to bring in the drop-in pitches to America," he added. "(The) drop-in pitches are normally very good, very batting friendly. And they don't change much over a period of time because they are different from natural pitches. So we are expecting the pitches to be very good."

Indian Cricket Team's Form Concerns Ahead of T20 World Cup 2024As the Indian cricket team gears up for the T20 World Cup 2024, concerns have been raised about the form of key players Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. While Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been in impressive form, Sharma and Pandya have struggled in recent matches.Rohit Sharma, the team's captain, has been criticized for his poor run of form in the IPL 2024. Despite scoring 417 runs in 14 matches, he has had a string of low scores as an opener. This has raised questions about his ability to lead the team to victory in the upcoming World Cup.Hardik Pandya, who is considered a vital all-rounder, has also been inconsistent in the IPL 2024. While he has performed well with the ball in the latter stages, his overall performance has been below par. This has led to concerns about his fitness and ability to contribute effectively in the World Cup.Former BCCI president and ex-Indian cricket team coach Sourav Ganguly has expressed his concerns about the duo's form. However, he remains confident in Rohit Sharma's ability to perform at the highest level."Rohit is a great of the game, and if you see what he did in the 50-over World Cup, I am confident he will do that again. At this level, form is about a couple of games when you have that kind of quality," Ganguly said.Ganguly also highlighted the importance of Hardik Pandya playing more cricket to regain his form."Hardik is different because he doesn't play that much cricket, and that's a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form," Ganguly said.Ganguly also addressed concerns about the form of Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, two fast bowlers who have been inconsistent in the IPL 2024."I am not really worried. Again, you have to take into account the nature of pitches in the IPL, the ground dimensions, and the conditions on offer for the fast bowlers. The World Cup will be very different, and the conditions in the West Indies will not be anywhere near the IPL. Our bowlers shouldn't have an issue in the World Cup is my assumption," Ganguly said.As the T20 World Cup 2024 approaches, the Indian cricket team will need to address the concerns surrounding the form of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. If they can regain their form and perform at their best, India will have a strong chance of winning the tournament.