Sourav Ganguly, ‘The Prince Of Kolkata’ Is Back.

By - Md. Mudassir Alam

Sourav Ganguly, popularly known as the ‘Prince of Kolkata’ is back in the Indian Team after a gap of around nine months. Anyone who knows and loves cricket very much had some doubt about the selector’s move. But he has proved his ability as well as importance for the Indian team in very first test against South Africa with two valubale knocks of 51 (not out) and 25.

Today, people across the country as well as critics are praising the ‘Prince of Kolkata’, and he deserves it, but he is the same man who always became the headlines of newspapers for his attitude problem or bossiness. Let’s take a look in his career which is full of controversies.

Sourav Ganguly was first selected in Indian team for Australia tour in 1991-92, when he was a 19-year-old boy. Although Sourav Ganguly got the chance to play against West Indies in one-dayers and later on dropped from the Indian team for the World Cup 1992. From his very first tour Ganguly was alleged for his ‘attitude problems’ and reluctance to carry out regular 12th man duties such as taking the drinks, bats on the field etc.

Both his ability and attitude was questioned and Sunil Gavaskar wrote “Within the team he seems to be an object of fun because of his reluctance to perform his chores as the reserve player. No wonder he has been nicknamed “Maharaja” since he leaves the menial jobs like carrying drinks on others while he sits watching them do it.” Though the charges were never proven, but the Maharaja found himself out of the team and the Ganguly chapter remained close for four years.

After Ganguly’s continuous good performances at the domestic level the selectors recalled him for the tour of England in 1996. In the second match of the series he got the chance to play and closed the mouth of his critics with a polished century in his test debut at the Mecca of Cricket ‘Lords’. Two back-to-back centuries in his first two tests clearly indicated the panache of the young man. From that juncture there was no looking back for Ganguly. Now the young Sourav was totally different from the teenager of 1992.

For his valuable contributions to team India, he was named Sportstar Person of the Year in 1998 and also awarded the Arjuna Award same year. In February, 2000 he was appointed as the captain of national team. Ganguly’s excellent captaincy and aggressive attitude in the field changed the history of Indian cricket. Everything was going on Ganguly’s favour till the 2003-04 drawn series against Australia and series win against Pakistan in 2004.

But by 2005, the master of offside became the victim of his own mastery and his problem with the shot-balls engraved. After continuous poor performances the another blow was his ban for 6 matches for slow over rates against Pakistan in home series in 2005. Under such circumstances his tour to Sri Lanka for the Indian Oil Cup 2005 was under doubt and Rahul Dravid was made the captain.

As India lost the final, selectors again named Ganguly as captain for the Zimbabwe tour of August-September 2005 keeping in mind his past records. During the series, differences between new coach Greg Chappell and Ganguly came into light. Ganguly told reporters that coach Greg Chappell had asked him not to play to provide the chance to youngsters Yuvraj Singh or Mohammed Kaif. The statement of Ganguly created much hue and cry and both Ganguly and Chappell were summoned to a BCCI board meeting in which they agreed to work together for the good of the team.

Next, Sourav Ganguly had to sit outside due to injury and Rahul Dravid was appointed Captain for the one day series against Sri Lanka and South Africa for 12 matches. Dravid’s good performance as a captain in the one day series made him the captain for the test series against Sri Lanka too. Ganguly’s exclusion ranked as a fight between his mentor Jagmohan Dalmiya and Sharad Pawar. With the decision of the Indian selectors all assumed likely there is end of the career for Ganguly.

However after much controversy on December 23, 2005 Ganguly was selected for the series against Pakistan and he increased his failure list. Eventually he was dropped from the team and BCCI and selectors forgot about him. Now due to continuous failures of youngsters Sourav Ganguly has once again recalled, but he has to fulfill the expectations of the Board as well as the cricket fans. Ganguly has to adapt and think positively for his future and most importantly he has to scores runs to discover his old class and temperament. If he will be through with the game every Indian cricket lover must stand up and applaud him.