Did the pitch of the Barsapara Cricket Stadium play a vital role behind Team India's 408-run defeat against South Africa? After the Guwahati Test, former India captain Sourav Ganguly shared his views on the match through an 'X' post on November 26. 

According to Ganguly, the surface of the Barsapara Stadium was fantastic. Both bowlers and batters got help from it. Spin came into play on Days 4 and 5 of the match. But the South Africa team was special. 

"Well done Guwahati on the first test .. fantastic test pitch..my experience of stadium facilities superb..had something for everyone..Jansen 5 wickets batters scoring runs and spin coming into play on day4 and 5 .SA were special..young indian team on transition..they will get better", Ganguly said.

Well done Guwahati on the first test .. fantastic test pitch..my experience of stadium facilities superb..had something for everyone..Jansen 5 wickets batters scoring runs and spin coming into play on day4 and 5 .SA were special..young indian team on transition..they will get…

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) November 26, 2025

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Sourav Ganguly shares his view on Guwahati Test match result 

The first match of the 2-match Test series was held in Kolkata, at the Eden Gardens. There too, India lost against the touring team miserably. The deck of the Eden Gardens also attracted a lot of criticism from a part of cricket fans because of his nature. It was a low-scoring match on a rank turner at Eden Gardens. Why did the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) develop such a pitch where the ball was turning from Day 1? To counter all criticisms, Ganguly, president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), had to make efforts to clear all questions. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir also had to face such a situation because of the nature of the pitch for the match. 

After that, cricket fans and critics were curious to see how the pitch of the Guwahati stadium would behave. It was the first Test match on the ground, which made the contest more interesting. Despite India's poor performance, as of now, there are no negative views on the track of Barsapara Stadium. 

Former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, who is also the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), felt that the Eden Gardens’ surface, which was used for the opening clash between India and South Africa, was not one of the greatest. Many claimed that the spinning surface brought the visitors way more into the fixture.

The home side failed to chase down the target of 124 runs in the fourth innings of the clash and got bundled out for 93 in the fourth innings. With the 30-run victory, the Temba Bavuma-led side is moving into the second Guwahati clash with a 1-0 lead in the two games. Ganguly has not been happy with the Eden surface and criticized it in an interaction.

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“It's not a controversy, not the best Test wicket, so unfortunately India lost. India's team should have got 124.  It was not the greatest of test pitches. The pitch was made on Gautam Gambhir's instructions. I am very fond of Gautam; he has done well in the 2011 and T20 World Cups.  He will continue for a while, but he must play on good pitches in India.” Ganguly expressed in the discussion.

Sourav Ganguly disagrees with Gautam Gambhir’s comment on Eden Gardens surface

The Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, wasn’t disappointed with the surface and informed that it was the exact surface that they desired from the curator in Kolkata. He also addressed that those batters who showed application with the bat earned success in the game.

“Shubman Gill's vacuum was a lot of a top-class number four batter; he couldn't bat in two innings, and we lost by 30 runs. The pitch was the same for both teams.” Ganguly reckoned.

“It was not an unplayable wicket. This (pitch) is exactly what we asked for, and this is what we got; the curator (Sujan Mukherjee) here was very supportive. I think it's a wicket that can judge your mental toughness, as those who played with good defense scored runs. This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. There were no demons or unplayable. Axar, Temba, and Washington made runs.” Gambhir explained in the post-match presentation.  

The president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), Sourav Ganguly, came to the defense of the Eden Gardens 22-yard, which was being used for the opening game of the two-match Test series between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India could take only a tiny lead of 30 runs in the first innings after bundling out the Proteas for 159. 

In the first innings, Jasprit Bumrah ended with fine figures of 5/27 in 14 overs, including five maidens at an economy rate of under two. Mohammad Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav shared four wickets between them while Axar Patel ended with 1/21 in six overs. Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, revealed that the Blue Brigade management requested them for that respective pitch.

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“The pitch is what the Indian camp wanted. This is what happens when you don’t water the pitch for four days. Curator Sujan Mukherjee can’t be blamed. They haven’t asked for it yet, so I can’t answer that question. It looks like a very good one.” Ganguly expressed during the interaction on News18 Bangla.

Sourav Ganguly reacts to India’s request for IND vs SA opening Kolkata surface

In the second innings of the clash, Temba Bavuma recorded a fine knock of 55 runs and remained unbeaten to set a target of 124 runs in the fourth innings for the home side, who lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul early in the chase and looked under tremendous pressure.

“Yeah, look, I mean, to be honest with you, even we didn’t expect a wicket to deteriorate so quickly. We all thought when we watched that first couple of hours that it was a good wicket, so it did deteriorate quite quickly, which was unexpected.” Ganguly addressed.

“That’s the beauty sometimes of playing in the subcontinent. You need to be able to adapt and react to conditions quite quickly, and that’s the sort of challenge that we’re facing here at the moment.” The former Indian left-handed opening batter shed light during the same discussion.

Since India was whitewashed against New Zealand in the three-match Test series last year, the home side has been cautious of the surface they have been producing for different opponents. In the previous series against the West Indies, they put up a green surface for the opener in Ahmedabad, while in the second clash, they used a slow surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. 

Heading into the new series against South Africa for the opening game at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the focus has been immensely on the surface. The ground is known for its assistance to the fast bowlers, who get nip and seam movement in the first hour of the morning. The new CAB secretary, Sourav Ganguly, has dropped a massive statement on the 22-yard.  

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“Well, they haven’t asked for it (rank turner) yet. So, I won’t be able to answer the question. It looks like a very good one.” Ganguly expressed, as quoted by the PTI news agency. The spinners have historically struggled at this venue.

Sourav Ganguly reveals India’s no request for rank turner for IND vs SA Kolkata Test

Despite not being watered for nearly a week before the start of the Test, CAB’s curator, Sujan Mukherjee, revealed that head coach Gautam Gambhir was happy to see the wicket during the inspection. He further noted that when the coach asked him about the turn of the 22-yard, he indicated that it could appear from the third day of the clash.

“It’s going to be a good sporting wicket with help for both batters and bowlers. There will be assistance on offer for the spinners as well, and that can happen early as well.” Mujherjee, who brought black soil and a different type of grass to convert it to a pacy and bouncy turf in recent times, addressed.

Ganguly also shed light on the encouraging ticket sales for the first three days of the Test matches as he stated, “Thirty-four thousand priced tickets have been sold out as we expect a good turnout.” It will be the first Test at this ground in six years since the day-night affair against Bangladesh.

On Thursday, October 30, India Women made history by beating Australia Women in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 semifinal at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The five-wicket victory not only ended Australia’s incredible winning streak of 15 World Cup matches, but it included one of the all-time great innings by India in a knockout match in any format of the game, that of Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 127*.

Australia had earlier scored an imposing 338, thanks to Phoebe Litchfield's 119 off 93 balls, with contributions from Ellyse Perry (77) and Ashleigh Gardner (63). For India, the batting did not get off to the best of starts, losing Shafali Verma (10) and Smriti Mandhana (24) early. Jemimah and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89) put together a partnership of 167 runs which completely turned the trajectory of the game. The right-hander got India across the finish line in a successful chase for 339, the highest chase ever for India in a WC match.

Jemimah's innings now ranks among the five highest individual scores by Indian batters in World Cup knockout matches, for both men and women.

5 Sourav Ganguly – 111 (vs Kenya, Durban, 2003 World Cup semifinal)*

Sourav Ganguly was the captain of the Indian batting attack in the 2003 semifinal against Kenya. Coming in to bat at No. 3, Ganguly scored a magnificent 111 not out off 114 balls which included five fours and five sixes, leading India to a total of 270/4. He formed a valuable second-wicket partnership of 103 along with Sachin Tendulkar (83). India ultimately went on to win the match by 91 runs, which propelled them into the final.

4 Virat Kohli – 117 (vs New Zealand, Mumbai, 2023 World Cup semifinal)

Ninety-seven years after Ganguly's innings in the last match, Kohli's 117 at Wankhede Stadium was once again a study in control and timing. It was his 50th ODI century and he did it in front of his hero, Sachin Tendulkar, in a total of 397/4. He hit nine fours and two sixes before falling to Tim Southee. Kohli's innings saw India through to the finals and was another memorable moment in Kohli's remarkable career.

3 Jemimah Rodrigues – 127 (vs Australia, Navi Mumbai, 2025 World Cup semifinal)*

In what was her first-ever World Cup knockout match, Jemimah Rodrigues produced an innings to remember. Her unbeaten 127 off 134 balls, laced with 14 boundaries, came in a high-pressure chase against a world-class Australian attack. Teaming up with Harmanpreet, Jemimah carried India over the line with poise and determination, adding finishing touches with Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Amanjot Kaur. It was an innings that symbolized maturity beyond her years.

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2 Rohit Sharma – 137 (vs Bangladesh, Melbourne, 2015 World Cup quarterfinal)

Rohit Sharma continued his love affair with ICC events during the 2015 quarterfinal against Bangladesh. Opening the innings, he scored a sparkling 137 off 126 deliveries with 14 fours and three sixes. His partnerships with Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina powered India to 302/6, setting up a 109-run victory. It was a statement knock in a pressure game.

1 Harmanpreet Kaur – 171 (vs Australia, Derby, 2017 World Cup semifinal)*

The top spot belongs to Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbelievable 171* in the 2017 semifinal at Derby, one of the greatest knocks ever in women’s cricket. Her innings, packed with 20 fours and 7 sixes, powered India to 281/4 in just 42 overs. The sheer dominance of her strokeplay left Australia shell-shocked, and India won by 36 runs to reach the final.

India’s Top 5 World Cup Knockout Scores

From Harmanpreet's spectacular performance on a hot day at Derby to Jemimah's brilliant innings in Navi Mumbai, these innings represent India's glorious cricketing history of producing world-class performers on the global stage. Each knock came with great pressure - and each became an eternal chapter in Indian cricket.

During the squad selection of the Indian side for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia down under, the BCCI selectors decided to omit Rohit Sharma as the captain and appointed Shubman Gill, keeping the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in mind.

It was the former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, who brought Rohit as India’s captain after Virat Kohli decided to step down from the responsibilities in 2021. That was a huge change in Indian cricket as they won the T20 World Cup 2024 and followed it up with the Champions Trophy 2025 in February this year. Ganguly has reacted to the ODI captaincy sack of the Nagpur-born.

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“I’m sure Rohit must have been spoken to. I’m not sure if it’s sacking. I’m sure it’s a mutual discussion. Rohit has been an outstanding leader — he’s won the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy. Performance is not the issue with Rohit Sharma. In 2027, Rohit will be 40. That’s a big number in sports. It happened to me; it happened to Dravid; it happens to everyone. Even Shubman Gill will face the same at 40.” Ganguly was unsurprised at the decision as he revealed on India Today.

Sourav Ganguly admits Rohit Sharma’s sacking as ODI captain ahead of Australia series

Ganguly concluded by underlining that the transitions are part and parcel of the game. He also addressed that it would be important for the veterans to maintain the same fitness to remain in the team selection’s consideration.

“Not a bad decision to promote Gill. He’s shown a lot of talent in England. I think it’s a fair call. Rohit can keep playing while you groom a young captain. It’s too early, but the way he has played and captained the team is extraordinary. Lots of potential, both as a player and as a captain.” The former Indian opener shed light.

“Yes, 40 is a lot of age. It depends on how fit he stays, how much cricket he plays, and how many runs he scores. Whatever opportunity they get, they have to play domestic cricket. That’s what it is — cricket is a sport where you have to keep playing to stay sharp.” Sourav Ganguly concluded.

The cricketing world, especially in the subcontinent, is focused on the drama in the Asia Cup, where India’s refusal of the post-match handshake with Pakistan after their Group A match caused a big controversy.

Soon, the attention will turn back to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has been without a president since former all-rounder Roger Binny stepped down three weeks ago.

According to a report on Cricbuzz, the world’s richest cricket board may announce its next set of office-bearers by the end of the month – on 28 September.

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BJP to Be Involved in Picking BCCI President?

The report says 28 September is only a tentative date, not a fixed deadline for announcing Roger Binny’s successor. It also says that talks about the next BCCI president will involve top leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power at the Centre since 2014 with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. The discussions will take place on Saturday, 20 September, at the New Delhi residence of Home Minister Amit Shah. His son, Jay Shah, recently served as BCCI secretary and is now the president of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The dates for filing nominations are 20 (Saturday) and 21 September (Sunday). The elections for office-bearers will then happen on Sunday, 28 September, at BCCI’s Annual General Meeting in Mumbai. According to the Draft Electoral Roll by BCCI electoral officer AK Joti, former India captain and ex-BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly will represent the Cricket Association of Bengal, where he is currently president. Harbhajan Singh, Ganguly’s former teammate, has been nominated by Punjab Cricket Association. Raghuram Bhatt will represent Karnataka State Cricket Association, while Jaydev Shah and Mithun Manhas will represent Saurashtra Cricket Association and Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association, respectively. Veteran administrator Rajeev Shukla, who is currently interim president following Binny’s departure, will represent Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association. Also in the fray is Rohan Jaitley, son of the late BJP politician and former Union Minister Arun Jaitley.

Latest whispers in Indian cricket suggest that the BCCI may again choose a former cricketer – a high-profile one – as president, for the third consecutive time after Ganguly (2019-2022) and Binny (2022-2025).

On September 18, 1997, Sourav Ganguly scored only 2 runs in the first innings in Toronto against archrival Pakistan but helped India to win by his inspiring bowling performance. Ganguly took 5 wickets and bundled Pakistan out for 37 runs in the second innings.

India, despite scoring a low score, won the match by 34 runs. Thanks to the accurate bowling from the Kolkata-born, who by then was assigned as the skipper of Team India. During India's visit to Canada, they met with Pakistan.

On that day, India went to bat first and produced a cold start. Ganguly, Saba Karim, and Sachin Tendulkar, then India's captain, all went back to the pavilion cheaply. Pakistan got a smooth start as Azhar Mahmood, Aaqib Javed, and Mohammad Akram were on song with a ball in hand. Mohammad Azharuddin batted brilliantly on the tricky track and scored a half century in the process. During his 67-run innings, he got significant support from Robin Singh (32) and Ajay Jadeja (20). In 50 overs and for the exchange of 6 wickets, India somehow managed to score only 182 runs.

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Ganguly, with his bowling shifted the momentum of the match 

The target was chaseable, and Pakistan had the firepower to do that. Ganguly single-handedly damaged Pakistan's middle order after Debasis Mohanty, Abey Kuruvilla, and Harvinder Singh took the top order down on the floor. Pakistan's opening partnership of Saeed Anwar (22) and Shahid Afridi (44) provided the stage Pakistan required to get the target runs.

After the dismissal of these two batters, when Pakistan looked under control, Ganguly stunned everyone. One by one, he took the wickets of Ijaz Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Hasan Raza, Moin Khan, and Aaqib Javed. Pakistan lost their 10th wicket on 148 runs, and India won the match. 

The former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, has trolled Pakistan’s shameful defeat against India by nine wickets with 25 balls to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the Asia Cup 2025. He revealed his boredom during the game on September 14, which forced him to change the channel in the 15th over of the first innings and enjoy the Manchester derby instead.

Winning the toss, captain Salman Ali Agha decided to bat first on a tough surface and kept losing wickets regularly. Later, it was Shaheen Shah Afridi’s unbeaten 33-run knock that pushed the Pakistan side to 127/9 in their allotted 20 overs of the first innings.

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“I am actually not surprised by what I saw. I actually stopped watching after the first 15 overs and started watching Manchester United and Man City (in the English Premier League). Pakistan is no match. I say that with respect, it's just because I've seen what their team was. It's the lack of quality on the side.” Ganguly expressed during a recent event in Kolkata.

Sourav Ganguly trolls Pakistan’s loss to India in Asia Cup 2025

Thanks to two superb and aggressive knocks of Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma, India chased down the target comfortably. Ganguly also supported the Blue Brigade’s stance of not shaking hands with the Pakistan players at the end of the game. Captain Suryakumar Yadav nailed the winning runs and went off the field as they locked themselves in the dressing room.

“There is no competition I would rather watch India play Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, or even Afghanistan. I don’t think India and Pakistan are a contest anymore. We keep hyping it, and for the last five years, every hype has been shattered. It’s been one-way traffic.” Ganguly shed light.

“Terror must stop, that's most important, all around the world, not just India and Pakistan. You've seen so many things happening, so that also must stop. But sports also cannot stop. Terror has to stop all around the world.” The former left-handed opening batter of the Indian side concluded.

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has returned as the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) presidency election is ringing in the corner, the “Prince of Kolkata” joined as CAB President.

CAB AGM has been scheduled for September 22, when the elections will be held. However, as Sourav Ganguly is the only candidate in the nomination list for the CAB President post, he is set to return to the post.

When did Sourav Ganguly previously hold CAB President role?

Former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was CAB President between 2015 and 2019. Later, in October 2019, Ganguly became BCCI President, while Avishek Dalmiya, the son of former BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya took charge of the CAB President. In October 2022, former Bengal cricketer and Sourav Ganguly’s elder brother, Snehasish Ganguly, was the CAB President before the upcoming CAB AGM.   

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There are important events coming up: CAB President Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is eyeing the upcoming crucial opportunities for the CAB soon after joining the new role, as Eden Gardens will host a Test match against South Africa, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and the Bengal Pro T20 League. 

Ganguly said after returning as CAB chief, "I would like to thank everyone for their support. At CAB, there is no opposition, everyone is a part of this Association. We will all work together to take CAB & Bengal cricket ahead. There are important events coming up at - Eden Gardens - India's Test match against South Africa, T20 World Cup, Bengal Pro T20 League. I will try and do my best."

Meanwhile, in the CAB, Nitish Ranjan Dutta has joined as Vice President, Bablu Koley as Secretary, Madan Mohan Ghosh as Joint Secretary, and Sanjay Das as Treasurer.

On the other hand, the BCCI will hold its elections on September 28 during the AGM, while it was a rumour that Sourav Ganguly would be interested in returning to the BCCI President role, which he previously held between 2019 and 2022. But the latest CAB progress has officially quashed his BCCI Presidency return rumour.