Himanshu Shekhar

Sourav Chandidas Ganguly – a name which needs no introduction, finally decided to call it a day, bringing to an end a fledgling career which had its own crests and troughs.

Prince of Kolkata epitomized the very impulse of Indian cricket with uncertainty being the only certainty in both. Unpredictable Ganguly may not be regarded as the best Indian batsman ever but when history of Indian cricket will be penned – Sourav Ganguly will be remembered as the man who took the road less travelled.

Ganguly’s cricketing journey began on an inauspicious note on January 11, 1992 against West Indies as he was adjudged leg before wicket (LBW) after scoring just 3 runs. But his comeback is now a part of a fairytale. His footwork may be a subject of cricket boardroom discussions, but once he played the final ball in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, experts could find no adjectives to express what it takes to come as close to him.

Geoffrey Boycott called him the Prince of Kolkata, Dravid called him ‘God on the off side’ and his teammates called him a “Fighter who never gives up” and Indian fans bestowed him the title of ‘Maharaj’. On November 10, 2008 the Maharaj walked on the ground for the last time in Nagpur and showed the world that his skipping the Test on the same venue in 2004 was not because he feared the green top.

There have been occasions in his 16 years’ sprawling career when Ganguly was branded as stubborn and Lord Snooty, a nickname that he earned after refusing to carry drinks on the field as twelfth man. Steve Waugh famously got miffed after Ganguly made him wait at the toss, triggering angry reactions in Aussie media. And then the famous shirtless show from the Lord’s balcony: waving towards the British media and crowds, indicating that India was no more the colony, Ganguly graduated into the deserved title of Maharaj.

It was this arrogant Dada who made sure that young generation of players like Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan learn what the India shirt meant. Yuvraj scored a famous match winning 84 against Aussies in his de facto debut match and Zaheer Khan yorked Steve Waugh for 23 and one man who was smiling without much fuss was Dada.

The smile heralded a new era of Indian cricket. Indian fans regretted no more that India didn’t have the killer instincts like Pakistan or invincible leaders like the Kangaroos. Sourav’s unfathomable legacy ensured that Team India recognized lesser known cities like Jalandhar, Baroda, Ranchi, Kochi and even Uttar Pradesh and move beyond Mumbai and Bangalore and Delhi.

Be it Brisbane, Trent Bridge, Toronto, Kolkata, Lord’s, Johannesburg or Sharjah – Sourav charmed cricket lovers across the globe and undoubtedly became the most celebrated cricketer in India after Sachin Tendulkar. Their will be no dearth of milestone images when one would glance through his cricketing life.

The comparisons between Tendulkar and Ganguly can be very inconsistent at times but can’t be stopped. His fans even went on to claim on occasions that ‘Only Sachin can do no wrongs as he is the one who scores ‘Duck’ gloriously.’ Perhaps the very irony of the comparison is that Ganguly -Tendulkar pair went onto become the most successful opening combination in one day cricket’s history, which, undoubtedly is not just co-incidence.

When talking of records and eventful stints, Ganguly and Kapil Dev are the two most successful India captains; but it’s the irony that when it comes to green rubbing they are most sought cricketers. The talk of his retirement started when Ganguly was unceremoniously dropped after his spat with Guru Greg was made public. Probably, the guardians of Indian cricket had more faith in a man hired on a hefty package from western Australia, than on their own match winning local. Uneasy lies the head which wears the crown and hardly ever was a player scrutinized as publicly as Sourav. Cricket pundits would find it impossible to find a replacement for him.

There will be no more whacking of the bat and no more piercing of the off side field again. It was only divine justice that Ganguly got a chance to correct the equation fair and square. Indian fans made sure that their ‘Maharaj’ departs in full glory. Kolkata ensured that their very own Prince, doesn’t miss Eden Gardens in Nagpur.