5. Sourav Ganguly
Profile
Born: July 8, 1972, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal
Current: age 41 years 143 days
Major teams: India, Asia XI, Bengal, East Zone, Glamorgan, India Under-19s, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lancashire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Northamptonshire, Pune Warriors
Batting style: Left-hand bat
Bowling style: Right-arm medium
Height: 5 ft 11 in
Education: St Xavier’s College
Despite being one of the biggest polarising figures in recent Indian cricket history, few can doubt Sourav Ganguly’s ability to lead a side, as he went on to forge one of the most successful periods for the country at Test and ODI level.
Despite being a batsman who combined grace with surgical precision in his strokeplay he could be troubled by the short ball.
Thanks to several factors on and off the field his career had spluttered to a standstill before being resurrected by a scintillating hundred on debut at Lord’s in 1996.
Victory in in Pakistan turned him into a cult figure in 2003 but instead of being a springboard for greater things, it was the peak of a slippery slope, as he fell out with coaches and a loss of form saw his career end.
Watch Ganguly score 183 against Sir Lanka at the 1999 World Cup.
COMMENTS