Early Life and Cricketing Breakthrough
According to Britannica, Ganguly originally debuted in first-class cricket for Bengal in 1989–90, contributing to the Ranji Trophy triumph. His entry into the sport was encouraged by Snehasish Ganguly, who was a left-handed batsman at the time.
Sourav Ganguly reportedly began batting left-handed because he had to use his brother’s equipment. He earned his Test call-up in 1996 at Lord’s, scoring a neat 131 on debut alongside Rahul Dravid’s 95. Promoted to open in ODIs in 1997, he created a deadly partnership with Sachin Tendulkar.
His swashbuckling 124 off 138 balls in the 1998 Independence Cup final against Pakistan powered India to what was then the highest successful run chase in ODI history: 315 in 48 overs. The match helped redefine what was considered an “impossible target” in that era.
Ganguly’s Captaincy and Impact Today
In the wake of match-fixing scandals, Ganguly succeeded Sachin Tendulkar as captain. He guided India to the 2002 Champions Trophy and the NatWest final victory at Lord’s. He also backed future stars like Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, and Mohammad Kaif.
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