Goodbye DADA...... on your final journey

At 2:11 PM, on 9th November 2008 - history was made.And the witness to this piece of history were a billion indians, who live and swear by the name of indian cricket.And this day will live down in the history books of cricket as a red lettered day. This series has seen the metamorphosis of indian cricket from the old to the new. The guards have been changed, but the colour remains the same. The true blue indian cap has changed many a scalps overthe last few years and months. And the proudest scalp to adorn that cap was out there after the luncheon on day 5 of the last test of the four test AIRTEL Border - Gavaskar Trophy for one last and final time. This was the final time, the DADA of indian cricket was taking field in his official uniform. This was his last day and last session in office, an office that gave him his identity. As the most successful man ever to have led India into 21 test victories in the 49 tests he played as the india captain , to this day the 10th november 2008 , he has come a long way and surprisingly so in exactly 8 years. On this day 10th november 2000 Sourav Ganguly took on as the captain of a team that was recovering from the shadows of match fixing that tainted its image, and recreated TEAM INDIA. When Sourav led his boys to the 2003 world cup final in south africa, he was the closest to Kapil's 1983 dream run in England. And today when he was the acting captain of the side in the post lunch session one last time when Dhoni once again called upon his first captain to take the reigns for one last time. Sourav was like an ethusiastic debutant, making moves here and there, calling in and cheering his fielders and backing up his team. And for never did it seem that he was out of this job for almost 3 years now. But here was the best man in his official blue and white coulours ready to give his best for his first love in life...Indian Cricket. And true to his words " In the last 13 years of my career I have made many friends and enemies both within and outside the team, but thanks for taking part with me, for everything I have done , I have done for ther betterment of Indian Cricket." And till the last moments of his career that was fading away along with the afternoon sun on the Nagpur sky, this brilliant ,classy, flamboyant, successful and committed servant of indian cricket was on his final journey . With Cameron white adjudged lbw of Harbhajan's bowling that was it. And as he would have wanted it to be, it was the most fitting farewell to our beloved DADA. Indians winning the series hands down. And with a hundred in the Mohali test in this final swansong series, Sourav was all but ready and happy to go. And as it happend it were like a multiple emotions charging down my eyes and I could hardly hold them down from welling up as indian won and DADA was departing. Sitting in the cane chair I usually sit and watch my Cricket, I could feel my limbs cramping and cooling both literally and figuratively. And well withim moments as he was lifted away by his team mates and taken to the pavilion by , the DAD and DADA of Indian cricket faded from the cricket field for ever. This day would always remind me off the emotions the australians felt and flaunted in SCG in the 2003-04 test series when Steve retired the same way. Denying India a victory in the sydney test....his last one.

But with the IPL coming up in 5 months we will perhaps see him in black and golden, once again and once more. DADA u truly ROCK!!!

Long live the King
....of Indian cricket
Long Live Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly.....The Icon and The PLayer...Dada of Indian Cricket

With five more innings to go including this second innings at Mohali, before people sit down to pen down the epilogue of Sourav Ganguly. I am driven by this inner urge to scribble a few words about this living legend of Indian cricket. The news paper headlines and television air time belongs to the Sachin Tendulkar of Indian Cricket, and indeed like millions of cricket fans in India, even I am delighted that I have witnessed Sachin create this great piece of history in such a humble way. It felt great to be a part of this generation that grew up watching him. But not to forget our Dada, who silently yet significantly consolidated this Indian Innings to pile on a significant total, that even the mighty aussies got bogged down to. And the back with a bang gesture that was portrayed by him transpired his emotion and desperation for this feat in this final series. Like millions of Indians, especially Bengalis for whom Sourav was a part of their life, a symbol of their pride and one of their greatest icon. I am sure there are millions who want Dada’s swansong to continue and are keeping their fingers crossed hoping that his final chapter be his Magnum opus. Indeed I belong to this species of Sourav bhokto( sourav’s fan). And I know how it is feeling at this hour when you all know that this is going to be the last time we see him on air with that blue cap and high crest doing the duty he has done best over the last 13 years. I must have been two when Sachin kicked off his innings in the International arena, and don’t quite have a vivid memory of that, albeit I remember him from the earlier years of the 1990s, But in 1996 I was a school going boy about 10 years of age and the ball ruled the roost over the text-book. So those centuries that decorated the English summers are still fresh and alive. The lanky bengali boy who sported a moustache and wore a full sleeved T-shirt with a half sweater on, raised his bat to kiss the English clouds and praises and honour came down torrentially from all corners, India had found its new cricketing icon. But more so importantly Bengal , that had very few representations in the Indian Cricket’s dressing room found a man who was ready for a long innings here. With the pampering of Jagmohan Dalmiya and the entire nation dancing to his dancing down the track six of spinners, this boy within a spell of five years was promoted as the India Captain and within months , this country saw a new dream roll out in the fields, TEAM INDIA was born . An ideal punch of youth and experience, of aggression and defense, of temperament and flamboyance. And guess who wove the fabric for it all …Sourav or more popularly DADA by then.
For the nest five years the dream run was on. until it was finally halted on the 15th of December,2005 after a test match at Delhi’s Kotla when Kiran More came out announcing that the services of sourav ganguly was not required to the Indian cricket team at that point in time. Soon after this, the majestic hero of millions, was branded as an adamant, arrogant , ill-tempered player who gelled well with none. Critics had accumulated sufficient amount of material from their closet to fill the newspaper column and interactive shows on TV (most of them) with their flashy graphical statistics went on to prove how miserable a failure Sourav had been . And a few die-hard fan who wanted to voice out against this were muted by the noise of the commotion.
Despair loomed large at times, with Dalmiya also ousted from the ranks of the BCCI, a hostile coach in the form of Greg, and a team that seemed to have adorned this new colours of change. But tough practice and the whispering by his coach in his ears “ Tomake India team e abar khelte hobe” (You have to play for India again), it was ten months and sourav ganguly pounced upon proteas touring their country just at the right time, and saved India from a humiliation on that tour abroad. Greg had anything to do but applaud the genius of the player and the gem of Indian cricket. The next year and a half; the best of his career, his first double ton on his comeback circuit, and he averaged more than that of his career average all through out. He was once again a part of this TEAM INDIA, he once built, but as a member not as their commander in chief(Captain). He toured Australia with his team that winter and played his 100th test match ,only the sixth Indian to do so. Then a mighty 87 against the proteas in a dust bowl in Kanpur, reaffirmed his place. But the erratic performance at the SriLanka series once again helped the critics raise their eyebrow, and every time they had done so he came up with his usual answer in the form of his flawless cricket . But this time before the home series against Australia and the speculations that were on fuelled by the media and critics were doing rounds. And It was at a press conference in Bengaluru , at about when the PC was about to end and the journalist in a wind up mode,7th October 2008, that the Maharaja called in quits and called it an end to his international cricketing career after the home series with Australia.
It was a broken heart for many of us, and at the same time our nerves went jittery. But all that eased when Cameron White was driven on the legs for a boundary that brought up his sixteenth test century at Mohali, one that may eventually punctuate his career as his last century. But wishing that he scores another couple in Delhi and Nagpur , this is to wish the Maharaja of Indian Cricket, The prince of Kolkata and the King of our Hearts adieu and goodbye. Sourav you ruled, you rule and you will continue to rule our aspirations and imaginations for years and decades to come. It’s been a pleasure and a honour having been able to see you all though out your career, in and out. DADA U Truly Rock!!!

Dada Chronicle ...The Blog

This blog , comes at a time when cricket won’t be a part of Sourav’s daily life after the next two tests at Delhi and Nagpur, But he will continue to be a part of our mindscapes. This blog is a reflection at the genius of Sourav Ganguly – The Captain, the Cricketer, the Bengali and The Maharaja of our dreams and aspirations. This blog in due of course of time, I wish to transform it into a full fledged platform for discussing and reflecting upon the LIFE and TIMES of SOURAV GANGULY…. the man he was. It will be kind of a Sourav Ganguly affair all the way, but in the course of its genesis Indian Cricket will be discussed here form a pure analytical point of view. This is not aimed at glorifying someone painting his tale of grandeur at the cost of de-glamorizing someone else. Yet we will take all the liberty in the world to celebrate the genius of our hero Sourav Ganguly(Dada).
Indian cricket finds its rightful place here in DADA CHRONICLE, because it has been the stage that allowed Sourav Ganguly to play the central theme of his life with finesse, perfection and determination. That which brought him all the laurels and sat him on the eternal throne of our expectations and aspirations. And like any other human being he too has succeeded and failed at times, just like the two sides of the same coin that have equal probability to come up with heads or tails every time it is tossed. But what sets him apart form most others of his generation is the ability to resurrect and rise up to challenges, like the phoenix rising up from ashes.
Another thing that I want to make clear at the very outset is that this blog will not be my personal take; all the way. Albeit in the beginning it will have some articles that I will be posting. But I would like to welcome each and every one who has had high regards for Sourav Ganguly in special, and also keen interest in Indian Cricket to join me in enriching Dada Chronicle. Specially Bengalis the world over lets join hands and celebrate the genius of the man.


DADA U Truly Rock!!!