Celebrating Sourav Ganguly: A Cricket Legend Turns 53!

Sourav Ganguly's 53rd Birthday Celebration

New Delhi: On Tuesday, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly celebrated his 53rd birthday, receiving heartfelt wishes from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which highlighted his impressive career statistics.

Ganguly made his international debut during the 1992 Benson and Hedges World Series against the West Indies, contributing to Indian cricket for an impressive 16 years.

Recognized as one of India's finest batsmen, especially in One Day Internationals (ODIs), he amassed 7,212 runs in 113 Test matches at an average of 42.17, including 16 centuries. In ODIs, he played 311 matches, scoring 11,363 runs with an average of 41.02 and 22 centuries.

BCCI shared a post on X, stating, "424 international matches, 18,575 international runs, 38 international centuries. Wishing former #TeamIndia Captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly a very Happy Birthday!"

In response, Ganguly expressed his gratitude, stating, "Thank you BCCI... the best sporting organization in the world."

Sourav Ganguly is celebrated as one of India's most impactful cricket captains. He took on the captaincy in 2000, leading the team in 49 Tests and 146 ODIs, achieving 21 and 76 wins, respectively. His leadership marked a turning point for Indian cricket, especially in overseas Test matches, culminating in a memorable run to the ICC Cricket World Cup final in 2003.

Notably, Ganguly was instrumental in nurturing a generation of talented players who became key contributors to India's success.

He is among the elite group of Indian cricketers with over 7,000 runs in Tests, ranking as the ninth-highest century-maker for India with 16 centuries. In ODIs, he stands as the eighth-highest run-scorer globally and is one of only 14 players to surpass the 10,000-run mark.

Ganguly is renowned for his performances in major ICC tournaments, holding the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in a World Cup match (183 against Sri Lanka in 1999). He was also the first player to score three centuries in a single World Cup edition (2003) and achieved three centuries in the ICC Champions Trophy (2000 and 2002).

After retiring from international cricket, Ganguly smoothly transitioned into cricket administration. He served as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal from 2015 to 2019 and was later elected as the president of the BCCI, where he made significant contributions from 2019 to 2022.