War of Bands

We love Ganguly

Saurav Ganguly, Our Hero! The most aggressive Indian captain! Team India! Team huddle in the middle of the ground! NETWEST final! .... not long ago we were chanting these word's. We were worshiping Ganguly for the man who made it possible that Indian cricket team could get a place in World Cup final after 20 Years and we became ICC mini world champions twice under his captaincy. I had read some where that had ganguly started his ODI innings in 1992 Australian tour he would have been the most successful batsman in the world, that he still is if we take Tendulkar out of the arena.

More then 10,000 ODI runs at an average of 41 with a strike rate of 74 in 270 innings, with 22 centuries (second to Tendulkar, no other Indian batsman is even close to this record, Dravid is at third place with 11 ) and 60 fifties. Only three other men in the world got to this 10,000 runs mark, took more then 345 innings each. He has made more then 5000 runs in test cricket at an average of 42 with 12 century and 25 half century. Moving to other aspects of the game if we take bowling records, the man with the Golden Arm has taken 93 ODI wickets with best of 5-16 against Pakistan and 25 Test wickets for the Team India.



India Under Ganguly's captaincy after world cup 2003,

TVS Cup, 2003 India Vs South Africa Final No result
India in Australia, 2003-2004 Test series 1-1
TVS Cup (India), 2003-2004 Australia Vs India Australia won by 37 runs
New Zealand in India, 2003-2004 Test series series Drawn
India in Pakistan, 2003-2004 ODI series India won series 3-2
India in Pakistan, 2003-2004 Test series India won series 2-1
Asia Cup, 2004 India v Sri Lanka Final Sri Lanka won by 25 runs
Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2004-2005 Test series Australia won 2-1
South Africa in India, 2004-2005 Test series India won series 1-0
India in Bangladesh, 2004-2005 ODI series India won 4-1
Pakistan in India, 2004-2005 Test series Drawn 1-1
Pakistan in India, 2004-2005 ODI series Pakistan won series 4-2
India in Zimbabwe, 2005-2006 Test series India won series 2-0
Indian Oil Cup, 2005 India v Sri Lanka Final Sri Lanka won by 18 runs
Videocon Triangular Series, 2005-2006 India v New Zealand Final New Zealand won by 6 wickets



Above stats show that India has Won or Drawn a Test series except Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2004-2005, which it lost to mighty Australians. And coming to ODIs India has won most of the series or atleast reached the finals.

Ganguly is not only India's most successful captain but he is also the most thinking and innovative captain. Dhoni who is the flavor of the season shot to prominence with a brilliant 148 against Pakistan in April. He was promoted at Ganguly's behest and sure enough at No.3. Sehwag in the beginning of his career was very much a middle order batsman but Ganguly believed he was too good to be sitting out in Tests so he was promoted as an opener, now Sehwag's performance is better in Tests than ODIs. Irfan Pathan was another Ganguly innovation, he was brought in as a 19-year-old straight out of the Asia Cup in Pakistan and taken to Australia, the rest as they say is history. Despite serial allegation on Bhajji's action he is in the team only due to Ganguly efforts.

All said and done. Where is Ganguly? The sloppy runner between the wicket but world record holder for biggest partnerships in ODI ... Always susceptible to short balls has highest number of 6 for India (second to Sachin) ... The batsman who can not play on leg side has Ganguly's roof at Sharjah cricket ground (All his sixes were scored on leg side) ...

Ganguly must go and play some regional cricket to show his worth and win his place back in Team India. Because he has the better record in ODI's and Tests as compared to any other cricketer in Indian team baring Sachin Tendulkar. He should go and change his Attitude too which he showed during NetWest cup Final to give a reply for Mumbai Display.

And we Indian audiences have all the rights to condemn Ganguly blindfolded by a single series win and that too on our home turf ... Hail !!