Dada,Prince of Kolkatta .. This is how his fans call him ..One of the players who is very tough.. In the sense , he never gives up .. One of the best captians India has ever seen .. He is the one who changed the track of Indian cricket and brought the youngsters to his team and lead the team in a fantastic way .. You may claim that Dhoni does it well too..Ya, still it was he (Sourav) who brought the Indian team to that level .. Hats off to Dada.. Faced a lot of tough situations during the Chappelle era. Each and everyone thought that it would be the end of his career.. He came back strong, strong enough to make shut the mouths of the selectors who dropped him ..
Even after that he was pinned by the selectors .. The Price of Kolkatta have served more than enough for Indian Cricket.. Each and every player has a day .. Its bit early from u .. He may leave cricket team and even cricket but the memories he provided and the change he made to the Indian cricket team stands for ever.. The cricket world can never forget his name .. Always he stands tall in our hearts .. Gonna miss u Dada..
The poem is for you..
This is a tale - unfinished so farOf a fiery cricketer - a lode starAn attacking player... with elegance to matchIndia's most successful Captain - and in the 10,000 (ODI) runs batchFor a man who has done so much for Indian cricketIsn't
it bizarre he's always on a sticky wicketFor a cricketer who has plundered 18,000 + runs (Test and one-day combined)Not to mention the 22 one-day tonsIt's ironical that he has to fight his way backBattle the odds and ignore the flakThis story has had many twists and turnsBut 'Dada' keeps his end up - the fire fiercely burnsLet's now take guard and take stockThe 'hitherto' Ganguly Saga' lets unlockWe'll examine the issues - such as they areWhat the critics fall back on, in trying to pull down this star'Dalmiya's man' - he was dubbedShouldn't he with Sachin, Sanath, Inzy - be clubbed? (10,000-ODI-Runs Select Club)His place was assured in the team - they sayThanks to his 'Godfather' - come what mayThen - may I ask the public thisWhose are the runs - Dalmiya's or his?Some other 'crimes' - charged to his nameShows dissent - slows down the gameUnfit - fakes injuries - late for the tossLazy - princely - ask Freddie Flintoff!Some tag the word 'Parochial' to himIronical that memories can be so dimWasn't it Ganguly - the 'new broom'(Who swept away zonal politics)Exciting 'Indian' talent he did groomTalent that he picked and backedA 'fighting spirit' in the team was packedHe turned the Indian team aroundBattle it out- stand your ground!This took Indian cricket to new heightsP
utting up some of the great fights(Remember Eden Gardens…Barbados…Headingley…Adelaide…Chennai…Lords-NatWest?)Won matches at home and awayWon accolades for the way we playThen there's the talk about 'green tops'Facing fast bowling Ganguly 'hops'?From the quicks he shys awayThen how on earth did he flayThe opening bowlers in the one-day gameDispatching them - on his way to fameSome more chat - that he detests'Chin Music' in the TestsMay I refer all - to the Brisbane TestThe Aussie quicks at their furious best'The Wall' and 'The Little Master' fellSounding for the tour - a 'death knell'?But out came striding the Captain boldUnleashed his repertoire manifoldLeading from the front - at BrisbaneTreating the Aussies - with disdainThus at the 'Gabba' - of bounce and paceGanguly - to a 'setting-the-tone' century did raceFrom the 'Brisbane heights' to the 'Chappell era lows'The Prince has stoically taken many blowsNo 'fair-weather' friends - his legion of fansThey believe in him - he vindicates their stanceExperience, resolve - and the 'Ganguly' knac
kWas behind the dramatic 2006-7 comebackSachin-Ganguly-Dravid-Laxman-Kumble - our Magical FiveContrary to 'death-knells' - they are still very much aliveCurrently the 'Fab Four' may not be at their batting bestAll credit to a tre'mendis' display by Sri Lanka in the TestsBut if old Hayden and Hussey and Sanath are still aroundWhy should our 'younger' 'Seniors' not stand their ground? (didn't Leander Paes?)'Out of form' - is how we dismiss and dispatchDon't all great batsmen go through a rough patch? (Ponting is still around)The press doesn't often bother to tell allIn the minds of the greats - Ganguly stands tallAsk Gavaskar, Boycott, Bhogle - to name a fewHis county (Glamorgan) also gives him his due"An outstanding professional" - was the Glamorgan callHe's as committed as the 'Wall'Not for power - or for pelfIt's cricket that spurs him on - improving himselfAt 'sixes and sevens' - but not for longAt 'sixes and fours' - is where he still belongsThere are few better sights than the southpaw's grace"God of the off-side" - is how he stays!
Even after that he was pinned by the selectors .. The Price of Kolkatta have served more than enough for Indian Cricket.. Each and every player has a day .. Its bit early from u .. He may leave cricket team and even cricket but the memories he provided and the change he made to the Indian cricket team stands for ever.. The cricket world can never forget his name .. Always he stands tall in our hearts .. Gonna miss u Dada..The poem is for you..
This is a tale - unfinished so farOf a fiery cricketer - a lode starAn attacking player... with elegance to matchIndia's most successful Captain - and in the 10,000 (ODI) runs batchFor a man who has done so much for Indian cricketIsn't
it bizarre he's always on a sticky wicketFor a cricketer who has plundered 18,000 + runs (Test and one-day combined)Not to mention the 22 one-day tonsIt's ironical that he has to fight his way backBattle the odds and ignore the flakThis story has had many twists and turnsBut 'Dada' keeps his end up - the fire fiercely burnsLet's now take guard and take stockThe 'hitherto' Ganguly Saga' lets unlockWe'll examine the issues - such as they areWhat the critics fall back on, in trying to pull down this star'Dalmiya's man' - he was dubbedShouldn't he with Sachin, Sanath, Inzy - be clubbed? (10,000-ODI-Runs Select Club)His place was assured in the team - they sayThanks to his 'Godfather' - come what mayThen - may I ask the public thisWhose are the runs - Dalmiya's or his?Some other 'crimes' - charged to his nameShows dissent - slows down the gameUnfit - fakes injuries - late for the tossLazy - princely - ask Freddie Flintoff!Some tag the word 'Parochial' to himIronical that memories can be so dimWasn't it Ganguly - the 'new broom'(Who swept away zonal politics)Exciting 'Indian' talent he did groomTalent that he picked and backedA 'fighting spirit' in the team was packedHe turned the Indian team aroundBattle it out- stand your ground!This took Indian cricket to new heightsP
utting up some of the great fights(Remember Eden Gardens…Barbados…Headingley…Adelaide…Chennai…Lords-NatWest?)Won matches at home and awayWon accolades for the way we playThen there's the talk about 'green tops'Facing fast bowling Ganguly 'hops'?From the quicks he shys awayThen how on earth did he flayThe opening bowlers in the one-day gameDispatching them - on his way to fameSome more chat - that he detests'Chin Music' in the TestsMay I refer all - to the Brisbane TestThe Aussie quicks at their furious best'The Wall' and 'The Little Master' fellSounding for the tour - a 'death knell'?But out came striding the Captain boldUnleashed his repertoire manifoldLeading from the front - at BrisbaneTreating the Aussies - with disdainThus at the 'Gabba' - of bounce and paceGanguly - to a 'setting-the-tone' century did raceFrom the 'Brisbane heights' to the 'Chappell era lows'The Prince has stoically taken many blowsNo 'fair-weather' friends - his legion of fansThey believe in him - he vindicates their stanceExperience, resolve - and the 'Ganguly' knac
kWas behind the dramatic 2006-7 comebackSachin-Ganguly-Dravid-Laxman-Kumble - our Magical FiveContrary to 'death-knells' - they are still very much aliveCurrently the 'Fab Four' may not be at their batting bestAll credit to a tre'mendis' display by Sri Lanka in the TestsBut if old Hayden and Hussey and Sanath are still aroundWhy should our 'younger' 'Seniors' not stand their ground? (didn't Leander Paes?)'Out of form' - is how we dismiss and dispatchDon't all great batsmen go through a rough patch? (Ponting is still around)The press doesn't often bother to tell allIn the minds of the greats - Ganguly stands tallAsk Gavaskar, Boycott, Bhogle - to name a fewHis county (Glamorgan) also gives him his due"An outstanding professional" - was the Glamorgan callHe's as committed as the 'Wall'Not for power - or for pelfIt's cricket that spurs him on - improving himselfAt 'sixes and sevens' - but not for longAt 'sixes and fours' - is where he still belongsThere are few better sights than the southpaw's grace"God of the off-side" - is how he stays!