Sourav Ganguly Birthday Special: A Look at Five Unforgettable ‘Dadagiri’ Moments by the Former India Captain

Sourav Ganguly, fondly known as 'Dada’ is one of the greatest cricketers in India. During his playing days, the southpaw knocked the winds out of top-quality bowlers with his elegant stroke play and amassed truckloads of runs. Also, he was no muck with the ball and provided his team with crucial wickets. 'Stay Tuned' Sourav Ganguly Set to Make 'Special' Announcement on His 51st Birthday! Former India Captain Drops Hints on Social Media (See Posts)

Besides his skills with bat and ball, the Kolkata-born was a shrewd leader and is touted as one of the finest minds to have graced the sport. Under his leadership, India became a force to be reckoned with in world cricket. Ganguly instilled belief in the team that they could compete anywhere and could give any team a run for their money. Be it while batting or while leading India at the biggest stage, Ganguly liked to dominate the proceedings on the field. Even after calling time on a cricketing career in 2012, he showed his ‘Dadgiri’ in the commentary box on many occasions. As we celebrate the Indian legend's 51st birthday, let us relive the moments when he showed who is the real boss. ‘Don't Understand the Thought Process’ Sourav Ganguly Has His Say on Ajinkya Rahane’s Elevation to Vice-Captaincy for India vs West Indies Tests, Just After Comeback

Times when Sourav Ganguly proved his Dadagiri

Ganguly waves his shirt on Lord’s Balcony

On July 13, India squared off against England in the summit clash of the Natwest Series in 2002 at Lord’s. Both teams gave their all on the cricket field, but India emerged victorious courtesy of magnificent knocks from Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif. When Zaheer Khan hit the winning runs, the then-India skipper Ganguly took off his jersey and started waving it with full enthusiasm. The epic moment went on to become a part of Indian folklore.

Ganguly makes a strong comeback after the Greg Chappell fallout

During the years 2005 and 2006, Ganguly had a fallout with then-India coach Greg Chappell, and it was arguably the darkest phase of his career. Sourav was sacked from the captaincy and was also dropped from the team. Post India’s poor showing in the 2006 Champions Trophy and in the ODI series in South Africa, which saw being white-washed 4-0, the southpaw was included in the Test side against the Proteas. In his first international innings since his comeback, the Kolkata-born struck a valiant fifty, which proved to be instrumental in the Men in Blue scripting a first-ever Test win on South African soil. Happy Birthday Sourav Ganguly! Fans Wish Former India Captain As He Turns 51.

Ganguly gives Nasser Hussain a fitting Response

Ganguly and Naseer Hussain are two of the superstars of the game. The two have never shied away from engaging in banter on and off the field. Naseer once asked Ganguly about the prospect of India featuring in the FIFA World Cup, and to this, the former Indian captain gave a fitting response.

Nasser: "When can I see India in the FIFA World Cup?"

Ganguly: "If India had played football for 50 years, then we would have qualified for the finals at least once."

Ganguly gives it back to Ravi Shastri 

Ganguly and Ravi Shastri have been involved in a fair share of rifts off the field. During the commentary of a game, Ravi Shastri once tried to take a dig at Ganguly and asked if there's a pavilion or a stand named after him at Eden Gardens. ‘The Prince of Calcutta’ gave Shastri a taste of his own medicine.

Shastri: “In Eden Gardens, Kolkata, is there a Ganguly pavilion or Ganguly stand?”

Ganguly: “The ground belongs to Ganguly!”

Ganguly trolls Pakistan

The rivalry between India and Pakistan is of the biggest in the game. Since 2015, the feud between the two heavyweight nations has been depicted in the famous Mauka-Maula advertisement. Ahead of India vs Pakistan clash,  Harsha Bhogle asked Ganguly whether he had watched the Mauka-Mauka, and the legendary cricketer gave an epic response.

Harsha: "Have you seen the new 'Mauka Mauka' ad?"

Ganguly: "Yes, I have seen that ad, and this ad will remain the same for the next 10 to 12 years because Pakistan will never beat India in the World Cup."

Retiring with more than 11,000 runs in ODIs and 7212 runs in Test cricket, Sourav Ganguly entered cricket administration and went on to become the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Although he is no longer in power, no one can doubt his influence on Indian cricket.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 08, 2023 06:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).