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.

See Also: [WATCH] Sai Sudarshan's terrific catch dismisses John Campbell during IND vs WI 2nd Test

“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.

Also Read -[WATCH] IND vs OMA, Asia Cup 2025: Harshit Rana's six over extra cover to finish first innings

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.

Read More: Fandom to next level, RCB fan tattoos IPL 2025 winning player names on his body

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.

See Also: 'Fought war...'- Former Pakistan star makes fierce response on India's refusal to shake hands with Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025

“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.   

Asia Cup 2025: Who said what? after IND vs PAK match 6

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. 

The former Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh, is expected to get a nomination from the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) as their representative to the upcoming annual general body meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), where they will elect five key office-bearers for the future. The veteran won’t be, however, the lone big name to attend the meeting, to be held on September 28.

Apart from Singh, the former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, has also been nominated by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). The Indian board is also scheduled to aim for the fresh election for the upcoming Apex Council and the governing council members of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

See Also: Do you know two players over 40 plus years are representing their nation in Asia Cup 2025?

One of the main points of the agenda will be the election and the induction of the following office Bearers of BCCI- the President, vice-president, secretary, joint-secretary, and Treasurer. The election of one representative of the general body in the council of the BCCI and two representatives of the General body in the governing council of the IPL will be on the cards.

Harbhajan Singh to get nomination for office-bearer post in BCCI during next AGM meeting

Ganguly took over as the president of the BCCI in 2019, while the former World Cup winner from the 1983 campaign, Roger Binny, held the post recently, after being elected unopposed in October 2022. The Indian cricket board’s decision makers reached out to several former players for the role of administration, but none of them showed any interest in the posts.

Harbhajan, who has been part of 103 Test matches for India to enjoy 417 wickets besides featuring in 236 ODIs to take 269 wickets and be part of the World Cup winning side in 2011, was a member of the Rajya Sabha and affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party and was appointed as the advisor of the PCA earlier. This will also be the first visit as the representative of the state board.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Cricket Association nominated Raghuram Bhatt as their representative, while Mumbai went with Sajay Naik. Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh went ahead with the nominations of Arun Dhumal and Rajeev Shukla, respectively.

The SA20 Player Auction has taken place and produced several notable discussion points, with views from several key stakeholders in South African cricket. Super Giants wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen had words of advice for record-signing Dewald Brevis, Pretoria Capitals Head Coach Sourav Ganguly spoke about his team’s new acquisition, and League Commissioner Graeme Smith reflected on the growth and seriousness of the league. Klaasen emphasized the auction price for Brevis represents his past success and ultimately should not represent pressure for the future. He also indicated the sport is about ups and downs and new players must use the opportunity within the SA20 to show their ability with confidence.

“It’s important for Brevis to remember that the price tag he’s earned is because of what he’s already achieved, not what he still has to do. In this game, you can train as hard as you want and still get out on the first ball; that’s just part of the job. The price reflects his past performances, his work ethic, and the many boxes he’s ticked along the way, all of which give him the best chance to succeed,” said Klaasen.

“Over the next three years, I don’t see his team releasing him, so this period is about building towards the next auction and showing what more he can bring. But ultimately, that big price tag is a reward for his past performances and the potential everyone knows he has,” Klaasen added.

Ganguly on Brevis for SA20’s Rise

Pretoria Capitals Head Coach Sourav Ganguly compared SA20’s growing stature to the IPL, highlighting the value of domestic players in franchise cricket. “As you’ve seen in the IPL, domestic players hold immense value, and it’s the same across world cricket, including here in South Africa. It was expected that players like Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis would attract big bids given their availability and the number of retentions. Brevis is an exciting talent; his game has improved, and we saw that against Australia in the recent series. In auctions, though, money isn’t always a reflection of a player’s quality; it comes down to supply and demand. We’re delighted to have Brevis with us. The Centurion offers a good wicket, and I’m sure he will enjoy playing there,” Ganguly said.

See Also: Sachin Tendulkar breaks silence on BCCI presidency rumors

“There’s also a lot of talent coming out of that region, which I wasn’t fully aware of before this auction. We’ve received excellent feedback about Brevis from both the MI setup and the South African team. He’s young, and someone we’re looking at as a long-term asset, just like Connor Esterhuizen and some of the exciting young fast bowlers, including a 19-year-old, Bayanda Majola, who is rated very highly. These players will only get better with time. As a franchise, we look at the bigger picture, and we’re very happy to have secured Brevis,” he concluded.

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.

See Also: ‘Fingers crossed, feeling really well….’- Suryakumar Yadav shares major fitness update before Asia Cup

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.

See Also: Afghanistan reveals schedule and dates for white-ball series against Bangladesh

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.