Cheteshwar Pujara, one of India’s most dependable batters, officially announced his retirement from all formats of Indian cricket on Sunday, August 24. He made the decision public through social media, marking the end of a celebrated career.

Pujara last represented India in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval. Since then, he had been away from the Test setup, watching younger players take up key roles in the batting lineup.

His exclusion from the squad for the five-match Test series in England was seen as a strong indication of the transition. Accepting the reality, Pujara decided to step aside, leaving behind an inspiring legacy built on resilience, patience, and consistency in red-ball cricket.

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Cheteshwar Pujara vs Sourav Ganguly: A Statistical Showdown:

Cheteshwar Pujara made his Test debut against Australia in Bengaluru in October 2010 and immediately left his mark with a composed 72 off 89 balls in the second innings, helping India secure a seven-wicket victory. After Rahul Dravid’s retirement in 2012, Pujara seamlessly stepped into the crucial No. 3 role in India’s batting order.

One of his finest moments came during the 2018-19 series in Australia, where he scored an impressive 521 runs in four Tests, playing a vital role in India’s historic first-ever series win Down Under. He again proved his value in the 2020-21 series against Australia, absorbing immense pressure and standing firm as a key contributor to another memorable Indian triumph overseas.

Pujara wrapped up his illustrious journey after playing 103 Test matches for India. With his retirement, it becomes interesting to draw a comparison between his numbers and those of former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who had reached the same milestone during his cricketing career.

• Cheteshwar Pujara vs Sourav Ganguly – Who Leads in Runs After 103 Tests?

Cheteshwar Pujara finished his career with 7,195 runs in 103 Test matches at an average of 43.60. Against Australia, he enjoyed tremendous success, scoring 2,074 runs in 25 matches at an impressive average of 49.38. He also performed strongly against England, accumulating 1,778 runs in 27 Tests at 39.51.

The veteran batter added 867 runs from 12 Tests against New Zealand at 39.40 and scored 882 runs in 17 appearances versus South Africa at 30.41. Pujara’s most dominant run came against Sri Lanka, where he notched up 743 runs in just seven matches, averaging a remarkable 74.30.

At the 103-Test mark, Sourav Ganguly had scored 6,581 runs at an average of 42.45. Against Australia, he managed 1,079 runs in 20 matches at 31.73. His best numbers came versus England, where he amassed 983 runs in 12 Tests at an excellent average of 57.82. He also scored 968 runs against Sri Lanka in 11 matches at 56.94.

Ganguly’s record included 902 runs in 12 Tests against Pakistan at 47.47 and 736 runs in 14 matches versus South Africa, averaging 30.66. Additionally, he registered 563 runs from eight Tests against New Zealand, averaging a solid 46.91 with the bat.

• Cheteshwar Pujara vs Sourav Ganguly – Who Has More Centuries After 103 Tests?

Cheteshwar Pujara had a highly successful Test career, registering 19 centuries along with 35 fifties. He proved his consistency against top teams, scoring five centuries each against Australia and England. He also dominated Sri Lanka with four hundreds to his name, showcasing his ability to perform across conditions.

In addition, Pujara recorded two centuries against New Zealand and one each versus South Africa, West Indies, and Bangladesh. His finest Test knock came in 2012 at Ahmedabad, where he remained unbeaten on 206 against England. This innings highlighted not only his patience and grit but also his ability to anchor long partnerships.

At the 103-Test mark, Sourav Ganguly had scored 15 centuries and 32 fifties, with his highest being 239 against Pakistan in Bengaluru in December 2007. Out of his 15 tons, three each were struck against England, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. He also recorded two centuries apiece versus Pakistan and Zimbabwe, while adding one each against Australia and Bangladesh to his tally.

• Cheteshwar Pujara vs Sourav Ganguly – Whose SENA record shines brighter after 103 Tests?

Cheteshwar Pujara featured in 41 Test matches across SENA countries, where he accumulated 2,558 runs at an average of 32.79. During this phase, he registered five centuries and 14 fifties, with his highest score of 193 coming at the Sydney Test in 2019, a memorable knock that highlighted his resilience.

Breaking down his SENA record, Pujara was most successful in Australia, averaging 47.28 in 11 Tests, where he struck three centuries. In England, he managed 29 runs per innings from 16 matches, while in South Africa, he averaged 28.15 in 10 games, including one century. His least returns came in New Zealand, averaging 20 across four Tests.

After 103 Tests, Sourav Ganguly had played 32 matches in SENA nations, amassing 2,311 runs from 59 innings at an average of 42.01, showcasing his consistency in challenging conditions. He registered five centuries and 13 half-centuries during this phase, with his highest score of 144 coming in the Brisbane Test of 2003, a memorable knock against Australia.

Looking at his performances individually, Ganguly averaged 34.80 in 11 Tests played in Australia and an impressive 65.35 from nine matches in England, where he struck three centuries. In New Zealand, he scored at an average of 27.71 across four games, including a hundred, while in South Africa, he averaged 36.14 over eight Tests. 

• Cheteshwar Pujara vs Sourav Ganguly – Who Contributed More to Wins After 103 Tests?

Cheteshwar Pujara proved to be a strong performer whenever India secured victories. Out of his 103 Tests, he played in 58 wins, contributing 4,408 runs from 96 innings at an excellent average of 50.66. In these winning causes, the dependable batter struck 13 centuries and 23 half-centuries. Interestingly, two of his tons came in defeats while four were scored in drawn games.

On the other hand, Sourav Ganguly’s impact in victories was relatively smaller. After 103 Tests, he featured in 33 wins, scoring 1,954 runs from 50 innings at an average of 46.52. He registered three centuries and 12 fifties in winning causes. Notably, 12 of his 15 Test hundreds at that stage came in drawn encounters.

The former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, is going to be the new head coach for the Pretoria Capitals ahead of the fourth season of the SA20 during the 2025-26 season, starting on Boxing Day, December 26. He will replace the former England captain, Jonathan Trott, in this position, having already acted as the director of the game at JSW Sports. It’s been the parent company of the side since last year.

The Capitals franchise of South Africa have had an unstable time in the tournament so far, as they finished the first season at the top of the points table in the group stage of the competition, before they lost the final against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Port Elizabeth.

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In the first two editions since then, in 2023-24 and 2024/25, they couldn’t do well and ended at the fifth rank both times, after failing to qualify for the playoffs. In the last season, they were under the leadership of wicket-keeper batter Kyle Verrynne, with several top-class batters, Will Jacks and Will Smeed, in the playing eleven.

Sourav Ganguly appointed as head coach of Pretoria Capitals ahead of SA20 2025-26

Pretoria will be aiming to see their luck getting turned around with the appointment of Ganguly, who was part of Delhi Capitals’ coaching stint during the previous seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This will be the former India captain's first time as the head coach. For four years, he was the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) between 2015 and 2019.

Ganguly joined the Delhi franchise as the mentor for the 2019 edition of the tournament, but later, he left the team soon after he became the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In the time since then, his appointment as JSW’s director of cricket pushed him to get close to one of the franchises of Delhi, which had co-ownership in the IPL and WPL.

His first focus will be the upcoming player auction on September 09, where they will look for fresh players in the squad with the appointment of a new coach.

India had an impressive run in the recently concluded five-match Test series against England, finishing with a 2-2 draw under Shubman Gill’s leadership, despite missing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. While the batting unit performed consistently across the series, former India captain Sourav Ganguly pointed out that the No.3 position appeared slightly vulnerable. He expressed support for young batter Abhimanyu Easwaran to fill that role, following ongoing discussions about his prolonged absence from the playing XI despite being part of the squad in previous tours.

Easwaran has travelled with the Indian team to Australia and England but is yet to make his Test debut. Throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India opted for Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the No.3 slot, leaving Easwaran on the bench. Ganguly remains confident that the Bengal cricketer will eventually find a place in the playing XI. With an impressive domestic record of 103 Ranji Trophy matches, Easwaran has scored 7841 runs at an average of 48.7, including 27 centuries, proving his readiness for the big stage.

See Also: Know why Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are unlikely to get selected for India in Asia Cup 2025

“He has age on his side. I still believe he will get his chance. I feel batters like Yashasvi, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja have all got runs. It’s only the No.3 slot that looked a bit fragile. Maybe Easwaran will be tried there,” Ganguly told to The Times of India.

Gautam Gambhir assured my son: Easwaran’s father

Sai Sudharsan, who was preferred over Abhimanyu Easwaran, scored just 140 runs in six innings at No.3, averaging 23.33 and recording two ducks. Meanwhile, Karun Nair, returning to Test cricket after eight years, managed 205 runs from eight innings at an average of 25.62. Easwaran’s father recently disclosed that India head coach Gautam Gambhir has assured his son a fair opportunity when his turn arrives. In the second unofficial Test against the England Lions, Easwaran batted at No.3, scoring 11 and 80, but is still waiting for his maiden India cap.

Easwaran will captain the East Zone in the 2025 Duleep Trophy, a tournament that could further strengthen his claim for a national call-up. India’s upcoming home Test season features series against the West Indies and South Africa, where the No.3 position may again come under scrutiny. With Sudharsan and Nair’s recent struggles, it remains to be seen if the selectors finally give Easwaran his long-awaited opportunity to prove himself at the highest level.

Since the morning of August 10, the reports have flown around the social media that the two veterans of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, are likely to take their retirement from the 50-over format in international cricket during the upcoming Australia trip if they don’t play the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, which is a must for them to be available for the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2027.

Both of them had already hung their boots from the shortest and longest formats of the game. But it could be a huge decision in the 50-over format for an ICC event. The former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, believes that the duo should continue playing the ODIs after their consistent performance.

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“I’m not aware of this, can’t comment on this. It’s difficult to say. Whoever does well will play. If they do well, they should continue. Kohli’s one-day record is phenomenal, even Rohit Sharma’s. Both of them are phenomenal in white-ball cricket.” Ganguly expressed during the AWL Agri Business Ltd Event.

Sourav Ganguly predicts India’s fate in Asia Cup 2025

The last action in the field for both players came during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In the international campaign, their last international outing came during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where the unbeaten Blue Brigade defeated New Zealand to clinch the title in Dubai.

Virat is the third leading run-getter of the 50-over format with the help of 14181 runs in 290 innings at an average of 57.88 and a strike rate of more than 93.54, having scored 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries at the best score of 183 runs. Rohit has smashed a total of 11168 runs in 265 innings at an average of 48.76, scoring 32 centuries and 58 fifties.

“They are in the middle of a break. After the IPL, they played five Tests, and now they will play the Asia Cup from September 9. India is very strong, and if they are strong in red-ball cricket, they are even stronger in white-ball cricket. So, in my opinion, India are favourites, and beating them on those good Dubai wickets will be very tough.” Sourav Ganguly concluded.

Since the PCB chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, revealed the news of the Asia Cup 2025 with the mouth-watering clash between India and Pakistan scheduled to take place on September 14, perhaps in Dubai, there have been questions on whether the tournament should go forward, especially after the broken relationship between the two countries.

The former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, feels that the event and the game between India and Pakistan must go down as he feels that terrorism shouldn’t happen, but the game must carry forward. Both sides are in the same group, which means they can potentially face each other thrice in three successive weeks if they qualify for the final.

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‘I am okay. The sport must go on. At the same time, Pahalgam should not happen, but the sport must go on. Terrorism must not happen; it needs to be stopped. India took a strong stance towards terrorism, but that's in the past. Sport needs to be played.’ Sourav Ganguly made the statement in Kolkata during an interaction with ANI.

Watch: Sourav Ganguly comments on India vs Pakistan clash in Asia Cup 2025

A total of 19 games will take place in the competition, featuring eight teams- two more than the last edition. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan are placed in the same group. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are expected to be the two venues for the event. The BCCI holds the hosting rights for the tournament, but an agreement was made between the two sides to face each other in neutral venues.

#WATCH | Kolkata: On India-Pakistan placed in the same group in the Asia Cup, former Indian cricketer Saurav Ganguly says, "I am okay. The sport must go on. At the same time Pahalgam should not happen, but the sport must go on. Terrorism must not happen; it needs to be stopped.… pic.twitter.com/Qrs17KOKrN

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2025

A few weeks ago, the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 game between India and Pakistan Champions was cancelled, but several players from the Blur Brigade, including Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Patha, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and others, pulled out of the game hours before it was scheduled.

I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE. The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th. We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket! A detailed schedule will be out soon.’ Naqi expressed in a declaration the dates of the Asia Cup 2025.

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

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 BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has spoken about Virat Kohli’s unexpected decision to retire from Test cricket. He confirmed that the decision was completely Kohli’s and that the BCCI had tried to convince him to stay, but Kohli had made up his mind.

Kohli, 36, told the board about his decision four days before officially announcing it on May 12. Ganguly, who shared a good working relationship with Kohli, said the former captain took the call on his own, without any pressure. "As a player, you just know when it’s time," Ganguly said. "People are asking why now. I know the last few years in Tests weren’t great for him, but top players like Kohli always bounce back. I’m sure if he was on the England tour, he would’ve scored runs. But he felt it was time to step away."

Kohli’s retirement surprised many, including Ganguly himself. After already leaving T20Is, most people expected Kohli to play Tests for a few more years. "Everything ends someday," Ganguly added. "Yes, he’s just 36, still fit, still playing IPL and ODIs. But Test cricket is different. At some point, you feel it’s time. I felt the same and retired when I thought it was right."

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli)

Ganguly also looked back at his own retirement. He left Test cricket at 37 after being out of the ODI team for over a year. Even though he was still scoring runs in 2006–07, the team was planning for the future, and he stepped aside to make way for younger players.

ALSO READ: SA20: Six retentions per team for next season
Kohli’s retirement was first reported by The Indian Express, which also said the BCCI tried to convince him to continue. Like Ganguly, who ended his Test career with a golden duck against Australia in Nagpur, Kohli too walked away on his own terms.

Sourav Ganguly, widely regarded as one of India’s best captains, is open to the idea of coaching the Indian men's cricket team.

Ganguly, who will turn 53 this July, worked as the team director of Delhi Capitals from 2018–19 to 2022–24. When asked by PTI if he would like to coach the Indian team, Ganguly said, “I never thought about it because I had to take on different roles.”

In a recent interview, Sourav Ganguly revealed that although he never seriously thought about becoming India’s coach before, it is something he might now consider.

“I never really thought about it because I took on different roles. I finished playing in 2013 and then became BCCI President. We’ll see what the future holds. I’m just 50 [53], so let’s see what happens. I’m open to it,” Ganguly said.

Also Read -Watch: MS Dhoni attends birthday celebration of his Tennis coach in Ranchi

Ganguly earlier worked as the Team Director of Delhi Capitals in the IPL from 2018–19 to 2022–24, where he brought his leadership and cricket knowledge to the team.

The Prince of Bengal also shared his thoughts on India’s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir. He praised Gambhir for his hard work and honest nature.

“Gautam is doing a good job. He started a bit slow, losing to Australia and New Zealand, but made a strong comeback with the Champions Trophy win in Dubai. This series against England will be important for him and the team,” Ganguly said.

Praising Gambhir’s honesty, Ganguly added, “I haven’t seen him closely in this role, but he is very straightforward and clear about his thoughts on the team, the players, and the people around him.

#WATCH गौतम गंभीर के "मैं भारतीय टीम का कोच बनना पसंद करूंगा" वाले बयान पर टीम इंडिया के पूर्व कप्तान और पूर्व BCCI प्रमुख सौरव गांगुली ने कहा, "अगर वे ऐसा करना चाहते हैं, तो मुझे लगता है कि वे कोच के लिए बहुत अच्छे उम्मीदवार होंगे।" pic.twitter.com/Gea7r6s11t

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) June 3, 2024

"From the outside, you can tell he is transparent — what you see is what you get,” he said. Ganguly, who played with Gambhir during his career, said he is confident the young coach will continue to improve in his role.

“I’ve played with him — he was always respectful toward me and the senior players. Even now, I can see he is very passionate about his job.

Former captain Sourav Ganguly says he is open to coaching the Indian team in the future.

“We’ll see what the future holds. I’m just 50 (53), so let’s see what happens. I’m open to it."https://t.co/Q7VBBK9ZnU

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) June 23, 2025

"He’s only a year into the role, and this England tour will be important. He faced some challenges in Australia, but like everyone else, he will learn and get better,” he added.

Ganguly believes Gambhir should be given time to grow and improve as a coach.

“I wish him all the best. He has only been in the job for a year, and this England tour will be important. He struggled a bit in Australia, but like everyone else, he will learn, grow, and improve,” Ganguly said.

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said that it would be difficult to replace a player like Virat Kohli in the Indian Test team. However, he was not surprised by Shubman Gill's brilliant innings in the first Test against England. The 25-year-old Gill batted at number four — a position where Kohli used to bat in recent years. Ganguly also raised concerns about the future fitness and selection of cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, as both aim to secure a place in India’s ODI World Cup squad for 2027.

"Virat is a great player. It will take time to find a replacement for him. But I was not surprised by what I saw from Shubman. There is a lot of quality in Indian cricket because of the system, the standard of domestic cricket, the leagues, and the time and money the association invests in developing players," Ganguly told PTI.

Ganguly also said that he expects Shubman Gill, India’s new Test captain, to score many runs in the series—provided his footwork remains as good as it was on the first day at Leeds.

Also Read -Rohit Sharma posts "Forever grateful" as he completes 18 years for India

"I am very happy to see his footwork in foreign conditions. There has been a lot of improvement. Shubman’s footwork was brilliant, and he didn’t make any mistakes," Ganguly said.

He added, "I think England should not have bowled on that pitch, and they didn’t bowl well either. His (Gill’s) footwork was fantastic. I hope this becomes a regular thing for him. If he continues to bat like this in England and other foreign conditions, he will score a lot of runs. If he keeps playing this way, his average will go up to around 40–45. This innings will give him a lot of confidence because confidence comes from performance. The way he handled the swing yesterday—his technique looked really good."

Sourav Ganguly said - "Virat Kohli is different, He's a World Class player. To replace Virat in the test team takes time". (PTI). pic.twitter.com/NkQkZWOGIv

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) June 23, 2025

Ganguly also spoke about retirement decisions and Virat Kohli’s form. He said, "The decision to retire should be taken when people ask 'Why?' and not when they ask 'Why not?' As a player, you always understand your place. Kohli knows that his last five years in Tests were not very good. But champion players like him always find a way to come back. If Virat had gone on the England tour, he would have scored runs. But he felt it was time to step away."

Recently, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that if both Virat and Rohit continue to perform, the door remains open for them to qualify for the 2027 World Cup.

About this, Ganguly said, "The World Cup is still far away. Before that, we have to play the T20 World Cup, which is another big tournament, happening in India in February–March. After the England tour, the full focus will be on the T20 World Cup. There are still about two and a half years left until December 2027. As I said earlier, if you keep performing, then age is just a number."