Sourav Ganguly, former BCCI president and Indian cricket legend, has addressed the criticism he faced for appointing Rohit Sharma as captain of the Indian cricket team in late 2021. Ganguly’s decision, initially met with scepticism, has been validated by India’s recent T20 World Cup victory under Sharma’s leadership.
A Tumultuous Time for Indian Cricket
In November 2021, Indian cricket was grappling with a leadership crisis. Virat Kohli’s resignation from T20I captaincy, followed by his removal from the ODI captaincy position, created significant turmoil. Ganguly, then BCCI president, reportedly wanted Kohli to reconsider his T20I decision, but public disputes regarding communication added to the chaos. Shortly after losing the Test series in South Africa, Kohli relinquished the Test captaincy as well.
With the 2023 ODI World Cup looming, the BCCI needed a new leader. Traditionally, nurturing a young captain has proven successful – examples include Ganguly himself, MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar. However, the BCCI opted for a different approach, appointing Rohit Sharma as captain across all formats.
While Rohit, a proven leader with five IPL titles to his name, was the most viable option, he was initially hesitant due to concerns about workload. Despite these concerns, he stepped up to the challenge.
From Criticism to Vindication
Ganguly’s decision to appoint Sharma was met with criticism, particularly from Virat Kohli‘s strong fanbase. Some felt Ganguly mishandled Kohli’s removal from captaincy and unfairly elevated Rohit.
However, with India’s T20 World Cup victory under Sharma’s leadership in July 2024, Ganguly’s vision appears to be validated. India, under Rohit’s captaincy, has finally secured an ICC title after an 11-year wait.
Ganguly Speaks Out: A Time for Recognition
While Ganguly is no longer BCCI president, he hasn’t forgotten the criticism he faced. Now, with the World Cup win silencing the naysayers, Ganguly points out that those who doubted him seem to have conveniently forgotten his role in appointing Sharma as captain.
“There was criticism when I handed over the captaincy to Rohit,” Ganguly stated in a recent interview with Bangla newspaper AajKaal. “Now that we’ve won a trophy under his captaincy, no one is criticising me. Everyone has forgotten that I made him the captain.”
Beyond Rohit Sharma: The Ganguly Effect
Ganguly’s influence extends beyond appointing Sharma as captain. He also played a key role in bringing Rahul Dravid on board as head coach, succeeding Ravi Shastri. This winning combination of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid has delivered what the previous pairing of Kohli and Shastri, despite their successes, could not – an ICC trophy.
Ganguly’s strategic decisions in leadership appointments have demonstrably paid off. India’s T20 World Cup victory under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy serves as a testament to Ganguly’s foresight and unwavering belief in his choices.
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