Former India captain Sourav Ganguly turned 53 Today (July 8). He is one of the most successful captains in Indian cricket history. People say that he gave chances to young players and built a new and strong Team India. Many players who started their careers under his captaincy played important roles in winning the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.

Ganguly’s parents used to call him ‘Maharaj’, while former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott gave him the name ‘Prince of Kolkata’. Both these names became very popular. After his time as BCCI President ended, Ganguly stayed active in cricket. He joined the Delhi Capitals team in the IPL as Director of Operations.

Under Ganguly’s captaincy, India became the joint winner of the 2002 Champions Trophy. He also led the team to victory in the NatWest Trophy in England. In 2003, he took India to the final of the ODI World Cup, but the team could not win the title. In 2004, under his leadership, India won both the ODI and Test series in Pakistan, which was a big achievement.

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These Players Were Groomed Under Ganguly’s Captaincy

During his time as captain, Sourav Ganguly gave chances to many young and talented players. The Indian team saw the rise of stars like Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. These players later became big names in Indian cricket.

Only Player to Win Man of the Match in 4 ODIs in a Row

Ganguly is the only cricketer in the world to win the Man of the Match award four times in a row in One Day Internationals. This record shows his great form and consistency during that period.

Third-Highest ODI Run-Scorer for India

Sourav Ganguly scored 11,363 runs in ODIs. He is ninth in the world and third among Indians, after Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. He is counted among India's greatest batsmen.

- Won CT as Captain (Joint).
- 18575 International runs.
- 38 International Hundreds.
- 132 Int'l wickets.
- 4 Consecutive POTM Award.
- Won Netwest as Captain.
- Padma Shri Award.
- Change Indian Cricket.

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AN ALL TIME GREAT, SOURAV GANGULY. 🌟🙇 pic.twitter.com/sxio6gj8Ur

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) July 8, 2025

Highest Individual Score in the Champions Trophy Final

Ganguly scored 117 runs in the 2000 ICC Knockout Final (now Champions Trophy) against New Zealand. This is still the highest individual score in a Champions Trophy final, showing he was a big-match player.

First Player to Score Three Centuries in the Champions Trophy

He made history by becoming the first cricketer to score three centuries in ICC Champions Trophy matches.

Test Batting Average Never Fell Below 40

In his Test career of 113 matches, Ganguly’s batting average always stayed above 40, which shows how dependable he was in the longest format of the game.

Highest Score by an Indian in World Cup History

In the 1999 World Cup, Ganguly scored 183 runs against Sri Lanka at Taunton. This is still the highest individual score by an Indian in World Cup history, and the record has remained untouched for over 20 years.

Century on Test Debut and Golden Duck in Final Innings

Ganguly scored a century on his Test debut at Lord’s. Interestingly, in his last Test innings, he got out on the first ball (a golden duck). This is a rare and unique record in cricket history.

Most Centuries by an Indian in a Single World Cup

In the 2003 World Cup, Ganguly scored three centuries, the most by any Indian in a single World Cup edition.

Another Special Record of Ganguly

Ganguly is one of only five players in ODI history to have 10,000+ runs, 100+ wickets, and 100+ catches.
He is also known as one of India’s best Test captains. Under his leadership, India won 11 out of 28 overseas Tests. Later, this record was broken by Virat Kohli.

Quick Facts About Sourav Ganguly

• 38 international centuries
• 132 international wickets
• 4 consecutive Player of the Match awards
• Won the NatWest Trophy as captain in 2002
• Awarded the Padma Shri
• Played a big role in changing Indian cricket forever