Dada to retire

After months (maybe years) of intense speculation during which everyone seemed to have had their knives out for him, Sourav Ganguly finally announced his retirement from international cricket today.

This man was one of the factors why Indian cricket is the force it is today. I try to go back & remember the many instances when he helped the team with things that took place on the field & off it. Taking charge of the team just after the match fixing scandal had broken out, he slowly but surely built up a team of believers. Most of the stalwarts of India's new generation of cricketers came through under Sourav - Bhajji; Yuvi; Irfan & Kaif to name but a few.

I could go on & on, but his biggest contribution was transforming the team's character into one that wouldn't waiver in the face of the worst kind of gamesmanship indulged in by the Whites & Pakistanis - and I respect him for that one reason the most.

So Dada - it was a privilege watching you play for the tricolor. All the best & thanks for the memories - including this iconic image of that surreal evening in London a few years ago ....


Like we used to say after every great performance of yours - "Jeeyo dada!". It surely is the end of an era.