Related Entries

Buchanan reveals Australian secrets
It is not funny anymore!
BCCI. Why?
Akram the great
WC2003 is over

« Leo gains fame
» Prevayler: Java Object Persistence

Captain Snooty?

I like Saurav Ganguly's captaincy. And my top-10 list of favourite sights in cricket.

Rediff.com slideshow

After India had beaten the Australians in the epic series in 2000, Steve Waugh said of him: "I can’t say I get on well with him, I’d be lying if I said that."
His opponents love to hate him. The critics denounce him as the most tactically inept captain India ever had.
But he is competitive, emotional, loves to win and can inspire his team mates to a level far above that of the opposition. He is Sourav Chandidas Ganguly -- 'Captain Snooty' to the British media.
With five away wins, he is India’s most successful Test captain overseas. A look at his career.

Ganguly may not be Mike Brearly, but he has the attitude to the game that Kapil Dev had. It doesn’t matter if you’ve the best brains in the game - unless you are Gary Sobers, you need to get others to bat, bowl and field to win the game. If people put enough heart into enough winning, they can make miracles. And that is what a captain needs to do first and foremost.

About Ganguly’s batting, when he is in form, there is no better sight in cricket now than to watch his offside play. Rahul Dravid: “First there is God, then there is Ganguly”.

Here’s a list of my all time favorite sights in cricket, in that order. This assumes that players are having a good day - not an out of form day.

  1. Viv Richard’s batting.
  2. Kapil Dev’s bowling, batting and overall commitment.
  3. Wasim Akram’s bowling.
  4. Richard Hadlee’s bowling.
  5. Saurav Ganguly’s offside play.
  6. Krishnamachari Srikkanth’s batting.
  7. Sachin Tendulkar’s batting.
  8. David Gower’s batting.
  9. Maninder Singh’s bowling.
  10. Mohammad Azharuddin’s batting - flick.
  1. Saurav Ganguly is a complete and utter ignorant pig. He is also a total dud as a captain, relying on the brilliance of Tendulkar, the 'Turbanator' etc to beat anyone. He is the most tactically inept captain I have ever seen in Test cricket and his demeanour and attitude towards his fellow professionals smacks of a spoilt child who is always forgiven by his parents, regardless of the nature of his offence. Before anyone rushes to defend him, just take a second to think about how he wouldn't cross the street to spit on the vast majority of his countrymen, even if they were on fire.

    Don't believe me? Could you imagine Steve Waugh, Nassar Hussein or Stephen Fleming refusing to stay in the same hotel room as their team because it wasn't up to his standards? He is YOUR captain, not mine, and for that I am eternally grateful.

    Posted by: Bren Batson on March 3, 2003 03:39 AM
  2. He is one of the best captains in the world.He is the best captain of India as seen not only by the team's performance but also his onw personal performance which shows that he leads the team from the front.

    Posted by: madhura dasgupta on March 10, 2003 11:48 PM
  3. ganguly is a wonderful person. he is one of the best captains of the world he lead the indian team very proudly.

    Posted by: krithika on April 2, 2003 05:34 AM
  4. he's the best!!! India cunt b so good without him... look at the way he has inspired the younger lot in the team.. we r proud of u saurav!!!

    Posted by: kanupriya on April 19, 2003 09:50 AM
  5. SAURAV IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
    PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE URSELF SAURAV NO MATTER WHAT EVER HAPPENS.

    Posted by: madhumitha on July 11, 2003 01:51 AM
  6. hi
    can i get the address of ganguly
    plsssssss

    Posted by: john on December 11, 2003 08:00 AM
  7. sourav...
    may goddess kali maa always shower her blessings upon you....may luck always overshadow you my friend....if u dont mind can i have your e mail id..pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee.
    with prayers n wishes
    usha

    Posted by: usha on February 27, 2004 03:49 PM
  8. saurav is great
    his onside strokes and pulls
    are worst things that i've been seeing from last 7 years

    Posted by: atanu on March 18, 2004 01:42 PM
  9. i am mad , i want to die

    i'll marry everybody

    plzzzzzz

    Posted by: chandrima on March 18, 2004 01:45 PM
  10. hi saurav........
    let me tell u rthe best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!plz give me ur mail id orsendmurpics plzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Posted by: riya on March 23, 2004 10:54 AM
  11. i think saurav is not having his re.............. he is a bastard.

    Posted by: saurabh jha on April 4, 2004 07:08 AM
  12. hi saurav u r the best. i m a big very very big fan of u and always love to watch u. hey could u please give me ur email address. hey u r not in ur original form from last around 2 years, so please tell me when i will see the best batsman in sizling form. bye

    Posted by: Ravi on April 21, 2004 04:36 PM
  13. hi ICC my name is fahim chakary and i am from afghanistan now i live in
    pakistan i have i want to accept me in any usraliyan cricket team i have the ability but dont have the facility plz send me a positeve answer i wiil be thank full of you
    i am 20 yars old.

    Posted by: fahim chakary on April 21, 2004 10:39 PM
  14. hello sir my name is fahim chakry i am from afghanistan but i live in pakistan i want to play cricket in any ustralyan cricket academy but i have the ability but dont dont have the facility plz that is the way to devlope cricket in the worl so plz send me a positive answer i will be thank full of you
    i am 20 years old
    thanx

    Posted by: fahim on April 21, 2004 10:56 PM
  15. the ind team is so much betta now dat ganguly leads it...look at wat hez dun in the last 3 yrs or so. we've actually got dat killer instinct that evry1 seems obssessd wif. hopefully he'll be bak in betta form soon 2-that wud b perfect! i think hes a gr8 captain, ...ppl who say otherwise r not thinking clearly-so wat if he gets up ppl's noses? if hez not breakin rulez n it works, well betta 4 ind. n half the ind team wudnt even b there if it wasnt 4 him, at least a lot of da young talent we have now. hez the best wif all the players, a gud player himself when the team needs him, n the best capt in ind now.

    Posted by: debbie on May 29, 2004 07:17 AM
  16. hi dada. this is kumar. i am a cricketer(wicket keeper and opening batsman) in 1st div here in kolkata. i want your email id.as u are always busy i cant contact u. but since u are home now i want to contact you. i wanted to meet you in your home, but i won't be allowed to enter. so plese give me the email id, so that i can speak to you through email.or any contacts. please take this thing seriously, and reply. plssssssssss

    from
    kumar

    Posted by: kumar ghosh roy on May 29, 2004 06:28 PM
  17. Hi Saurav....
    Really U r the man who changed scenario of indian cricket. Now our team is not dependent on any single person. And this is just coz of U.
    People says u r proudy & bla bla bla, but doesn't matter. U r the best. Keep this spirit, so INDIA can fly with colors in world cricket. & once again whoever would be king, but MAHARAJA is there "The Bengal Tiger".

    urs crazy fan....
    priyesh


    Posted by: priyesh on July 8, 2004 12:11 PM
  18. 11/7/2004

    Hi... Sourav...

    First of all

    I wish you a very Happy Birth day !

    I am a fan of you. I want your Photograph, plz send me the same.

    Thanks

    Best of Luck for your Asia Cup Tour

    Your one of Best Fan,

    Rutika

    Posted by: Rutika Gavankar on July 11, 2004 10:37 PM
  19. Saurav is best!
    I think it covers everything.
    Well Best batsman,Best Captain until today.
    I wish him a very very good luck.

    Posted by: megha kale on July 15, 2004 04:49 PM
  20. Dear saurav,
    ur de best . De indian team is much better under ur captaincy .
    Do well . All de best .
    Ur fan,
    Anu

    Posted by: Anu alex on July 20, 2004 11:34 PM
  21. saurav,
    Send me a mail to my inbox . please with a foto of ur's .

    Posted by: Anu alex on July 20, 2004 11:36 PM
  22. HI Mr.perfect!
    v become spell bound whenever u appear on the television,no matter for whatever it is..v admire and keenly watch every movement of urs...
    v r a bit worried about ur low performance in recent times.try 2 concenterate equally on all departments..its jus a request.plsss consider.
    pleassssssssssssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeee.... LET US KNOW UR EMAIL ID...
    convey our regards to ur lovable dona & ur daughter!!!tc..bye

    Posted by: sourav's crazy fans on September 7, 2004 03:41 PM
  23. HI Saurav,

    What to say abt u man. Ur the one who is unbeatable, unmatchabla, and few people misunderstand you becoz they are brought up by that kind of family. Now no one can mess around with you and ur character. I know your records and I know you personally.

    And the best person which india has got. I just wanted to know how did you make the indian team a coesive unit which can beat any team in the world on the given day.

    Ur the boss gifted with all the talents in the world. How come u r the best player in the world (some says sachin or lara but to be true see your records u have reached almost 10000 runs in less matches comparing to Sachin. I know how many 90's u got u play for the country not for ur self.

    I like you next to my family. If anything i wanted in this world next to my family is ur friendship. If i can get that i would thank god for centuries.

    God bless u all the times and u ll be the captain of 2007 world cup to bring it to India. U proved to be the best patriotic Indian. Jai hind.

    --Syed Ahmed.

    Posted by: syed Ahmed on September 16, 2004 03:07 AM
  24. HI Saurav,

    What to say abt u man. Ur the one who is unbeatable, unmatchabla, and few people misunderstand you becoz they are brought up by that kind of family. Now no one can mess around with you and ur character. I know your records and I know you personally.

    And the best person which india has got. I just wanted to know how did you make the indian team a coesive unit which can beat any team in the world on the given day.

    Ur the boss gifted with all the talents in the world. How come u r the best player in the world (some says sachin or lara but to be true see your records u have reached almost 10000 runs in less matches comparing to Sachin. I know how many 90's u got u play for the country not for ur self.

    I like you next to my family. If anything i wanted in this world next to my family is ur friendship. If i can get that i would thank god for centuries.

    God bless u all the times and u ll be the captain of 2007 world cup to bring it to India. U proved to be the best patriotic Indian. Jai hind.

    --Syed Ahmed.

    Posted by: syed Ahmed on September 16, 2004 03:08 AM
  25. sourav dada,i hav always considered u as my big bro.I was born 2 support u luv u and adore u.tumi amaar dada.when all ur critics say bad about u i am most disheartened and always cry bitterly.I have tied u rakhi and did 'bhai fota' to ur photos.I always hope tht u remain the captain of india and play great.I treat u as one of my family members.May Sana grow up to be just like u and best wishes to Dona.lastly I love u sourav.
    (plz post this to sourav somehow,I d be ever grateful)

    Posted by: reshmi on September 24, 2004 04:56 PM
  26. pleaseHi Saurav!
    U r the best in the world of cricket.If u hit a century u r the best,if u r out on duck u r still the best.I m a die-hard fan of u.I know u have millions of fans like me and i m no special 2 u but u r most special person 2 me in this world.I started batting left hand from the age of 10 n now i m 17 n co-incidently my friends say that my batting stlye is similar to u and i also admired from u.Can I have ur e-mail id?Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaassssssssseee!
    Urs n only urs
    Shashi shekhar Pandey
    (4 the owner of site
    If can't grant my request send ur reply 2 Saurav_99@rediff.com)

    Posted by: Shashi shekhar Pandey on October 10, 2004 08:56 PM
  27. saurav
    hi
    u r the best.am ur fan. please sent ur pictures to me. n please give me ur id.i wana chat with u.
    pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
    best of luck
    i wait for ur answer

    Posted by: farwa on October 11, 2004 04:00 PM
  28. Joyguru Saurav,
    We are with you.Your aggresive attitute is our best property in the cricket ground.Go ahed with it. Do not spare your temperament with the ex-players says.
    You are our best captain in India.
    You must be the top.
    Joyguru.

    Posted by: BABUL DASGUPTA on November 2, 2004 09:20 AM
  29. dear sourav
    i love u
    best wishes to dona love to sana

    Posted by: nita on November 8, 2004 08:39 AM
//-->