Sourav Ganguly is set to become the 12th Indian and the 10th Indian men’s cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, adding another landmark to a career that redefined Indian cricket both on and off the field.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to formally announce Ganguly’s induction on July 11 after the conclusion of its annual conference. The former India captain will join an elite list of cricketers whose contributions have left a lasting impact on the game.
Ganguly’s influence extended well beyond his elegant strokeplay, particularly through the off side, which earned him the nickname “God of the off-side.” His greatest contribution came during a defining period in Indian cricket’s history.
When he assumed the captaincy in 2000, Indian cricket was recovering from the match-fixing scandal that had damaged public trust and shaken the team’s foundations. Ganguly inherited a side searching for a new identity and gradually built a culture of belief and resilience.
One of his defining traits as captain was his willingness to back young talent. Virender Sehwag was encouraged to open the batting, Harbhajan Singh was entrusted with leading the bowling attack against Australia, while Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Mohammad Kaif all flourished under his leadership. The environment he created also helped lay the foundation for the rise of a young MS Dhoni.
The faith shown in his players translated into results. India shared the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002, reached the 2003 ODI World Cup final, drew a Test series in England, won a historic Test series in Pakistan in 2004 and famously ended Australia’s 16-match Test winning streak in Kolkata.
Reflecting on that era, Ganguly once said: “There were different men, different moments, but everyone stood up when it mattered. That’s what builds a great team. We weren’t just trying to win a Test or even a series. We were building character.”
His individual achievements were equally remarkable. Ganguly scored 7,212 runs, including 16 centuries, in 113 Tests, while amassing 11,363 runs and 22 hundreds in 311 One-Day Internationals. He also claimed 132 ODI wickets and finished his career among the format’s highest run-scorers.
After retiring from international cricket, Ganguly continued to shape the sport through administration, serving as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal before becoming BCCI president during the COVID-19 pandemic. He currently heads the CAB.
His induction into the ICC Hall of Fame recognises not only an outstanding batter and successful captain but also a leader who transformed the mindset of Indian cricket and helped build the foundation for future generations.
