Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, captain of the India national cricket team, and cricket administrator. Widely regarded as one of India's most influential captains, he is known for his elegant left-handed batting, particularly against fast bowling on the off side, which earned him nicknames such as "Dada" and "the God of the Off Side". He served as the 39th President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from October 2019 to October 2022.
| Full name | Sourav Chandidas Ganguly |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 July 1972, Behala, Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal |
| Nickname | Dada, Maharaj, Prince of Calcutta |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm medium |
| Role | Top-order batsman, occasional bowler |
| Test debut | 20 June 1996 vs England, Lord's |
| ODI debut | 11 January 1992 vs West Indies, Brisbane |
| Domestic team | Bengal |
| IPL teams | Kolkata Knight Riders, Pune Warriors India |
| India captain | 2000–2005 (Tests and ODIs) |
| BCCI President | October 2019 – October 2022 |
| Spouse | Dona Ganguly |
Ganguly was born into a wealthy Bengali family in Behala, a southern neighbourhood of Calcutta. His father, Chandidas Ganguly, ran a successful print business, and the family's affluence contributed to the "Maharaj" (prince) tag. His elder brother, Snehasish Ganguly, also played first-class cricket for Bengal and later served as a cricket administrator. Sourav studied at St. Xavier's Collegiate School, Kolkata, and was initially encouraged toward football before turning to cricket. Although a natural right-hander, he learnt to bat left-handed so that he could use his brother's equipment.
Ganguly made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bengal in the 1989–90 season. He was selected for the Indian ODI side that toured Australia in 1991–92, making his debut at the Gabba in Brisbane, but did not play another international match for over four years.
Recalled to the side for the tour of England in 1996, Ganguly made his Test debut at Lord's, scoring 131 — becoming only the third player to score a century on Test debut at the venue. He followed it with 136 in the next Test at Trent Bridge, establishing himself in the team.
Through the late 1990s, Ganguly formed one of the most prolific opening partnerships in ODI cricket with Sachin Tendulkar. He was a key figure in India's run to the final of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa, where India lost to Australia.
Following the match-fixing crisis of 2000, Ganguly was appointed captain of the Indian team. His tenure is credited with rebuilding team morale and instilling a more aggressive, self-belief-driven culture. Notable achievements as captain include:
Under his captaincy, India also won 11 Test matches abroad, then a record for an Indian captain. He gave early opportunities to players such as Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Mohammad Kaif.
In 2005, a public dispute with then head coach Greg Chappell led to Ganguly losing the captaincy and eventually his place in the side. After a period out of the team, he returned in late 2006 and produced strong performances, including consistent runs in Test series against South Africa, Pakistan and Australia, before retiring from international cricket after the home Test series against Australia in November 2008.
Ganguly captained Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural IPL season in 2008 and continued with the franchise until 2010. He played for Pune Warriors India in 2011 and 2012 before retiring from all forms of cricket.
Ganguly served as President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) from 2015. In October 2019, he was elected as the 39th President of the BCCI, succeeding the Committee of Administrators (CoA) regime. His tenure saw the staging of the IPL during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (2020), the expansion of the IPL to ten teams (2022), and India hosting the T20 World Cup squad selections and bilateral series during the period. His term ended in October 2022, when Roger Binny was elected as his successor.
Ganguly married Dona Roy, an Odissi dancer and a childhood acquaintance, in 1997. The couple have a daughter, Sana. He continues to live in Behala, Kolkata, and is closely associated with cricket and civic life in West Bengal.
Ganguly is credited with transforming the temperament of Indian cricket at the turn of the millennium, particularly in overseas conditions. His captaincy laid much of the groundwork for the team's later successes under Rahul Dravid and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, including the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup victories. As an administrator, he became one of the few former India captains to head the BCCI, bridging the player and governance sides of Indian cricket.