Sourav Ganguly Cricket Player Profile

Ganguly holds a special place in Indian cricket history. For a specific time period in his playing days he was at once the most hated and most loved player in the team. His captaincy tenure has got to be one of the most chronicled ones in recent times. More than his proficiency on the off side, his prolific partnership with Sachin in ODIs, his run in with Greg Chappell etc it is his role as a captain in shaping up a young team for which he is most remembered. He took over at a tumultuous time in the wake of the match fixing saga and, along with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble, forged a team that was formidable at home and more than competitive overseas. His relationship with John Wright, India's first foreign coach proved to be the catalyst for India's admirable show in away tours. Ganguly emphasised on the need to be fearless and he led by example in this aspect. His ability to get under the skins of the opposition was built up over time and his brash attitude earned him quite a few call ups into the match referee’s cabin but Ganguly was steadfast and believed that the attitude helped India move forward. His actions were backed with performances on the field too. He finished his career as India's most successful captain and led India to a World Cup final too in 2003.