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.

Also Read -Dukes ball maker urges ICC to change new-ball rule

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

A young man from Kolkata came to play his first ever Test and scored a splendid hundred to save team India against England in 1996 at the Lord's. The young man, Sourav Ganguly, turns 53. He was born on July 8, 1972, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal.

In that match against England, Ganguly scored 131 off 301 balls with 20 boundaries. With the help of his century, India scored 429 and squared the match. The left-handed batter, who became one of the best captains in the history of the Indian cricket team, bagged multiple individual records, including a couple of hundreds in consecutive matches from debut.

Sourav Ganguly's first match as captain for India was in the Coca-Cola Singapore Challenge tournament in September 1999, where he led the team in a match against the West Indies. This was during Sachin Tendulkar's absence due to injury. When Ganguly took charge of Team India, the first XI contained players like Sadagoppan Ramesh, Vinod Kambli, Amay Khurasiya, Robin Singh, Laxmi Shukla.

Read More: Wiaan Mulder slams triple ton, joins Hashim Amla in South Africa’s elite Test records

A vision to create a team for upcoming days

Later, during his leadership, the team was introduced to one after another young talents like Rahul Dravid, Virendra Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Asish Nehra, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Ajit Agarkar, and many more. Many would've forgotten that even Mahendra Singh Dhoni also made his international debut during the era of Sourav Ganguly. Sourav Ganguly's captaincy period for the Indian cricket team spanned from 1999 to 2005 in ODIs and from 2000 to 2005 in Tests. He led India in 146 ODIs from 1999 to 2005 and 49 tests from 2000 to 2005. 

During his time as a captain, he tried to shape a new-look team in India, which later won multiple ICC trophies, including the World Cup. When India won the World Cup under MS Dhoni's leadership, the first XI had multiple players who debuted in the blue jersey in Ganguly's time. 

Former India captain and opening batter Sourav Ganguly turned 52 on Monday, July 8. On his special day, let’s look at how the “Prince of Calcutta” changed Indian cricket.

Sourav Ganguly, one of India’s greatest captains, turned 52 on July 8. Known as ‘Dada,’ he is loved and respected by many. Wishes poured in for him on his birthday, including one from Manoj Tiwary, who expressed his love for the former Bengal captain. Cricket fans in India had more to celebrate as MS Dhoni also had his birthday on Sunday, spending the day with his wife Sakshi.

Ganguly ended his career as one of the most successful captains in cricket. Numbers alone can’t capture his impact on Indian cricket. He inspired many young cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, and MS Dhoni when they started their international careers in the early 2000s.

Ganguly’s memorable debut and early career

Ganguly’s career began with a stunning debut century at Lord’s in 1996. This impressive start set the stage for his future success. He quickly became known as a talented and stylish batsman, forming a strong opening partnership with Sachin Tendulkar in ODIs. Ganguly’s elegant stroke play and ability to dominate bowlers made him a mainstay in the Indian batting lineup.

Ganguly’s rise to captaincy was a key moment for Indian cricket. He became captain in 1999 and soon proved to be a resilient and insightful leader. He helped Indian cricket fans fall in love with the team again, moving past the match-fixing scandal.

Under Ganguly’s leadership, the Indian team became fearless and competitive. His aggressive captaincy style brought new confidence to the team. One of his notable achievements was leading India to the final of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup. Though India lost to Australia in the final, reaching it was a big accomplishment and revived Indian cricket’s spirit.

Triumphs Against Australia

Ganguly’s captaincy also saw significant successes against Australia. The 2001 home Test series win, highlighted by a famous comeback in the Kolkata Test with an epic partnership between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, is one of India’s greatest Test series wins. Ganguly’s aggressive captaincy and strategic skills were crucial in that victory.

Beyond his on-field success, Ganguly is known for mentoring young cricketers who became key players for India. He supported talents like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Zaheer Khan, giving them opportunities and building their confidence. His ability to spot and nurture talent shaped the future of Indian cricket.

Ganguly’s legacy of leadership

Ganguly’s leadership, marked by aggression, confidence, and the ability to inspire, left a lasting legacy. He laid the groundwork for the next generation of Indian cricketers and set the stage for future successes, including the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup wins.

As the former BCCI president, Ganguly would surely have been proud when Rohit Sharma and his team lifted the T20 World Cup last month in Barbados.