Tendulkar Suggested Ganguly: Sourav Ganguly was named vice-skipper of the team after Tendulkar’s recommendation before he stepped down as captain.
Tendulkar has seen Sourav Ganguly as a precocious teenager
Sachin Tendulkar has seen Sourav Ganguly as a precocious teenager, a talented India contender, a stylish batter, a leader, and a busy administrator. For India’s best batter, what has endured the test of time is their friendship, which is still alive and robust long after they both ceased playing international cricket. As the BCCI president turns 50 on Friday, his “opening partner” opened up to PTI about their friendship and how he saw Ganguly as a potential captain when he was leading India.
The master blaster stated that before the 1999 tour of Australia, his second-last as captain, Tendulkar knew who would take over if he stepped down. “Before stepping down, during India’s tour of Australia when I was captain, I requested Sourav be chosen vice-captain,” Tendulkar told PTI. Tendulkar Suggested Ganguly
Tendulkar believes Ganguly provided a lot of world-class players
“I had seen him up close, played cricket with him, and felt he had the essential skills to advance Indian cricket. He was a good leader. I consequently suggested him. When asked how much freedom Ganguly offered his players during his nearly five-year captaincy, Tendulkar was effusive in his appreciation. “Sourav was a wonderful captain. He knew how to balance providing players freedom and duties, remarked Tendulkar.
“When he took charge, Indian cricket was in a transition phase. We needed the next group of players to take India ahead.” Tendulkar believes Ganguly provided a lot of world-class players wings to soar and carve their own niche. “At that time, we had top-class players like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, and Ashish Nehra. Even gifted players require support at the outset of their careers, which Sourav supplied. Tendulkar Suggested Ganguly
Sachin talked about Sourav Ganguly
“While their duties were established in the team, they also had the flexibility to express themselves,” he said. “Sourav never looked back and what he achieved for India is out there for all of us to see,” added Tendulkar, who also endorsed Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a future captain.
Maybe the off-field closeness is why India has never had a finer white-ball partnership. The combination had 26 century stands between them, and 21 of them came when they started the batting together.
“Sourav and I gave our best. We wanted to do what the squad needed and win matches for India. But beyond that, we never thought about anything. We are thankful to the people for considering us a fine opening partnership and for recognizing what we did for India,” said Tendulkar, who has always been humble. Tendulkar Suggested Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar stayed in touch
Ganguly played for India for the first time in 1992. He didn’t play again until 1996. During that time, landline phones were the only way to get in touch, but Ganguly and Tendulkar stayed in touch ” Sourav and I shared a room on the tour in 1991. We liked the time we spent together. We had also played together when we were Under-15, so we got along well ” We did meet up a few times after the tour in 1991, though. Back then, unlike now, there were no cell phones, so we couldn’t talk to each other often. But our friendship stayed the same over all those years.”
We first met at a junior tournament put on by the BCCI in Kanpur. They then spent a lot of time together at an annual BCCI camp in Indore, which was run by the late Vasu Paranjape “
They played for Kailash Gattani’s Star Cricket Club
Before Indore, we played in Kanpur. In England, we played for Kailash Gattani’s Star Cricket Club. “We may have met at the Under-15 camp in Indore. It was the beginning of our still-lasting friendship.” Tendulkar, Vasu’s son Jatin Paranjape, and Kedar Godbole “flooded” Ganguly’s room as kids. They poured water into his room while he slept. “Sourav slept one afternoon. Jatin Paranjpe, Kedar Godbole, and I gave him water. His suitcases were floating when he woke up, and he didn’t know why. He discovered that Jatin, Kedar, and I did it. Tendulkar Suggested Ganguly
“Friends always joke around, and our childhood was no exception,” he remarked. It was considerably funnier and more exciting when they went to the UK with the Star Cricket Club. “We stayed at old castle-like schools, which was scary. Friends would fear each other more.
