Political maneuver flops, ‘Dada’ a hit! Sourav Ganguly got cricket’s highest honor during Jai Shah’s rule. Political maneuvering flops, ‘Dada’ hits! Sourav Ganguly receives cricket’s highest honor under Jay Shah’s rule.

Be it the green cricket pitch or the high-profile board room of the cricket administration, the name of ‘Prince of Kolkata’ i.e. Sourav Ganguly is always at the center of headlines. ‘Dada’, one of the most aggressive and successful captains in the history of Indian cricket, has achieved such a historic milestone on his 54th birthday, which has made every Indian cricket lover proud. The Jay Shah-led International Cricket Council (ICC) has given the biggest honor to the cricket world by inducting Sourav Ganguly into the prestigious ‘ICC Hall of Fame’. This decision of ICC not only salutes the legacy of a great player, but is also a befitting reply to those critics who were weaving fabricated stories of bitterness between Ganguly and Jay Shah.

Sourav Ganguly joins the elite club of veterans

With this historic honour, Sourav Ganguly has now joined the special list of select timeless players of Indian cricket who had made India a mark on the world stage. By becoming a part of the ‘Hall of Fame’, Dada has officially confirmed his place in the elite club of legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. From reminding the white rulers of their status by waving T-shirts in the balcony of ‘Lord’s’, which is called the Mecca of cricket, to teaching Team India the skill of winning abroad, this journey of Ganguly has now been recorded in golden letters in the history of cricket.

Politics put before sports spirit, complete stop on rumors

When Sourav Ganguly resigned from the post of BCCI President, various attempts were made to set political narratives on social media and in the corridors. Many analysts had termed this as the result of the so-called mutual tussle between Jai Shah and Ganguly. But today when Jay Shah is holding the highest post of ICC, Ganguly getting this highest honor during his tenure shows the purity of the game. This decision has made it clear that all kinds of political maneuvers and fabricated rumors succumb to the tenacity and unmatched talent done on the sports field.

Making Team India fearless by removing it from the darkness of match fixing

Ganguly’s glorious entry into the ICC Hall of Fame is not just a result of his more than 18,000 international runs with the bat, but it is also a tribute to the fearless ‘leadership’ that brought Indian cricket out of its toughest phase. In the year 2000, when the dark shadow of match fixing had shaken the reputation of Indian cricket, it was Dada who took charge of the team and instilled in the players the courage to fight eye to eye. Match-winners like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni himself are the product of Ganguly’s expert eye. Be it the final of the 2003 World Cup or the historic victory of the NatWest Series, Ganguly always led the Indian team from the front.

Dada becomes the 12th Indian to get the honor of ‘Hall of Fame’

By achieving this unprecedented feat, Sourav Ganguly has become the 12th great Indian player to make it to the prestigious list of ‘ICC Hall of Fame’. The complete list of Indian legends who have been honored so far on this highest platform of ICC is as follows:

• Bishan Singh Bedi (2009)

• Sunil Gavaskar (2009)

• Kapil Dev (2010)

• Anil Kumble (2015)

• Rahul Dravid (2018)

• Sachin Tendulkar (2019)

• Vinoo Mankad (2021)

• Diana Edulji (2022)

• Virender Sehwag (2023)

• Neetu David (2024)

• MS Dhoni (2025)

• Sourav Ganguly (2026)

Sourav Ganguly himself has put an end forever to all the rumors and speculations regarding his entry into politics. Dada said in a candid tone that he has never been a part of any political issue or party in his life and his only love and focus has always been on cricket.