ODI & Test
Everyone following cricket will know the combat between Greg chappell and our Dada (Sourav Ganguly). His dispute with then-coach Greg Chappell resulted in many headlines during 2005 and early 2006. Greg Chappell emailed the BCCI stating that Ganguly was unfit to lead India and that his “divide and rule” behaviour was damaging the team. This email was leaked to the media and resulted in huge backlash from Ganguly’s fans. Eventually due to his poor form and differences with the coach he was stripped of his captaincy and dropped from the team. However, 10 months later, during India’s tour to South Africa, Ganguly was recalled after his middle order replacements Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif suffered poor form.
Retirement from International Cricket
On 7 October 2008, Ganguly announced that the Test series against Australia starting in October 2008 would be his last and stated “to be honest, I didn’t expect to be picked for this series”. Ganguly played in every game of the four-Test series, repaying the selectors faith in him by amassing 324 runs at an average of 54.00. In his last innings, he was dismissed for duck off just one ball. India won the series 2-0, and in the final match, with India needing one wicket to secure a victory, the India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, allowed Ganguly to lead the side in the field one last time.
IPL
On 18 April 2008
Ganguly led the Kolkata Knight Riders team owned by Shah Rukh Khan in the IPL Twenty20 cricket match to a 140 run victory over Bangalore Royal Challengers led by Rahul Dravid and owned by Vijay Mallya. Ganguly opened the innings with Brendan McCullum and scored 10 runs while his partner Brendan McCullum remained unbeaten blasting his way to a record 158* runs in 73 balls. On 1 May in a game between the Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals, Ganguly made his highest score of the season and his second T20 half century, scoring 51 runs off of 39 balls at a strike rate of 130.76. In his innings, Ganguly hit four 4s and two sixes, topping the scorers list for the Knight Riders.
On March 25, 2009
John Buchanan the coach of Kolkata Knight Riders came up with the multiple captains concept. Again a controversy!!! because of a Australian Coach. We all know the fact Ganguly is getting old. It would have been appropriate if John Buchanan had discussed this with SRK and Ganguly.
On March 26, 2009
Ganguly said that he is not fully convinced by Buchanan theory.
“Tomorrow I can jump out and say we need four batting coaches, four John Buchanans and Shah Rukh Khan can say we need six Andy Bichels,” Ganguly told NDTV. “These are all opinions; these are the way they are thinking how Twenty20 cricket can be played. We’ll have to wait and see because it’s completely new, it has never happened in sports.”
Ganguly said that he came to know of his team coach’s plans through the media. “On Tuesday, John mooted the idea to me,” Ganguly told Times of India. “All I can say is that I was not consulted on this. Frankly, it’s a new concept. It may work, it may not. There are no guarantees in sport.”
On March 27, 2009
Buchanan says Ganguly knew about multiple-captain theory. When did they discuss? Last Season!!. Probably either one of them forget something.
Buchanan said, “I had detailed discussions with Sourav during last season’s IPL about his future role,” Buchanan told Anandabazar Patrika, a Kolkata-based daily. “The developments were not at all new to him. We had spoken about the importance of having alternative captains.” Buchanan’s remarks contradict the statements of Ganguly, who had said he had no idea about this strategy. “All I can say is that I was not consulted on this. Frankly, it’s a new concept. It may work, it may not.”
On March 31, 2009
After Ganguly met SRK on 31st it was announced Kolkata to have one captain and many ‘strategists’.
This move could be seen as a climbdown from coach Buchanan’s plan for more than one captain on the field but arguably the only difference now is that the term “captain” has been replaced by “strategist”.
“Needless to say the term ‘multi-captains’ has raised a few eyebrows and questions. The idea is to have a set of strategists as is always the case classically in cricket, who will form a team of 4 to 5 core experts in the field of fielding, bowling, batting and data, etc,” the statement read. “These coaches or strategists will assist the one captain on field with their viewpoints on the game-plan set earlier or shoot from the hip as the case maybe.”
SRK also came out in Buchanan’s defence. “John Buchanan is not Greg Chappell… the comparison is not fair. Dada is very dear to us and nobody is taking away the captaincy from him or taking him away from the team. John and Sourav are our mainstays and all decisions will be taken in tandem with them,” Shah Rukh Khan said.
On April 1, 2009
Vengsarkar said Multiple-captain idea is ridiculous.
“This is ridiculous. It is a mockery of the game with four captains telling the captain what to do and I’ll be glad to see [Sourav] Ganguly back at the helm of the Knight Riders,” Vengsarkar said. “Suppose there is one ball to go and six runs to be scored and then four guys come to advise. It can happen to Ganguly himself. I want Ganguly to go to Buchanan, whose idea it is, and ask him what to do.”
On April 3, 2009
Needless to say Ponting feels there are ‘Merits’ in multi-captain theory. “I think there is some merit in it. We’ll see how it works at the end of this IPL”. Going by that example, Ponting said, Buchanan deserved to be heard. “I don’t see there’s a lot of problems with it. The more experience you can get into a lot of guys as far as leadership goes can only benefit your group.”
He also indirectly attacks DADA with his comments.
Ponting said he was aware of Ganguly’s concern which, he said, was only fair. “”But it seems like it’s a bit more of a sensitive situation at the moment with Sourav being captain and maybe not wanting to give up that actual role, which you can understand as well,” Ponting said.
Popularity: 15% [?]
