At the start of this century, Indian cricket was in absolute turmoil. There was no success whatsoever on the field, while the team was full of average players at best. And the worst part was that the Indian Cricket team was losing its credibility and that’s a very strong statement, for cricket players in India are role models, almost God-like figures when you think about certain players like Sachin Tendulkar, and Sourav Ganguly, still it was the case. Because there were allegations of match-fixing. Yes, believe it or not, it’s true, this was the case back in 2000, and the late 1990s.
But amidst the allegations of match-fixing, with Indian cricket going nowhere, Sourav Ganguly was made the captain of the Indian team, and the rest is history. Here are 5 points that highlight how Ganguly changed Indian cricket forever.
- Bold Leadership: Ganguly and the captaincy was a match made in heaven. The bold nature of “Prince of Kolkata” and the aggressive leadership style brought a new dimension to the Indian team. He instilled a sense of self-belief and fearlessness among players, encouraging them to compete aggressively on the field.
- Reshaping Indian Cricket’s Image: Ganguly’s leadership and no-nonsense approach on the field reshaped Indian Cricket’s image. The way the Indian cricket team fought the mighty Australian team, led by the great Steve Waugh, in the 2001 home series erased the memories of match-fixing completely. Slowly, Ganguly was transforming the team from being inconsistent to one that was competitive and feared by opponents worldwide.
- Nurturing Team Spirit: Ganguly emphasized the importance of team unity and camaraderie. Under his captaincy, players were encouraged to support each other, nurturing a strong team spirit that was vital for success in big games.
- Encouraging Young Talent: Ganguly always had a keen eye for young talent. No other Indian cricket captain can boast of giving a debut to so many players who went on to become legends. A few of those players were Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, and Harbhajan Singh.
- Overseas Success: The Indian cricket team was always known as weak travelers, losing series after series without putting up any sort of a fight. But under Ganguly’s leadership, it changed completely. He led India to several historic wins in overseas Test matches, including high-profile series wins in England, Australia, and Pakistan. These massive wins planted the seeds for future captains like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who also guided Indian teams to overseas victories.
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