Sourav Chandidas Ganguly was one of the most flamboyant cricketers ever to represent India. There is a thin line between arrogance and confidence and while people usually felt Ganguly transgressed it fairly often, the legacy he left behind defined Indian cricket in a way it was never defined before.
Here’s why we think Dada was so extraordinary:
Ganguly was the third batsman to score a century in each of his first two innings.
Without doubt, Ganguly had one of the most memorable Test debuts of all times. In 1996 against England, he became only the third batsman to score a century in each of his first two innings after Lawrence Rowe and Alvin Kallicharan. His ton at Lord’s was also the highest score by a batsman on debut at the ground. His first two matches set the tone for a career that spanned over 12 years.
Partnering with the master: Ganguly and Sachin put up 6,609 runs in ODIs. He combined with batting legend Sachin Tendulkar to form the most explosive opening pair in the Indian ODI history. Little did the master blaster know, in Ganguly, he would find the ideal partner, who will effortlessly match his hunger for runs.
