Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday expressed his gratitude to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its chairman Jay Shah for inducting him into the ICC Hall of Fame, describing the recognition as a huge honour. The announcement coincided with Ganguly's 54th birthday.
Ganguly's message of thanks
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ganguly wrote: "Thank you ICC and Chairman Jay shah @JayShah for inducting me in the hall of fame .. it's a huge honour .. One of the 10 Indians to be inducted in the hall of fame ever .. Amazing to be a part of some great names .. @bcci." The ICC has yet to make an official announcement regarding the induction.
Eligibility and history of the ICC Hall of Fame
The ICC Hall of Fame celebrates the extraordinary achievements of cricketing legends who have shaped the sport's history. Players become eligible for induction only five years after their final international appearance. The Hall of Fame was launched in January 2009 as part of the ICC's centenary celebrations and has since honoured the greatest players to have graced the game.
Ganguly's transformative captaincy
Ganguly took over the captaincy during one of the most turbulent phases in Indian cricket. The left-handed batter transformed the team's mindset, instilling aggression, self-belief and the confidence to compete overseas. Known as the "God of Offside" for his elegant strokeplay through the cover region, Ganguly amassed 18,575 international runs in 424 matches, including 38 centuries and 107 half-centuries. He scored 7,212 runs in 113 Tests and 11,363 runs in 311 One-Day Internationals, making him one of India's greatest batters across formats.
Landmark achievements as captain
As captain, Ganguly led India in 196 international matches, winning 97. His tenure featured several landmark achievements, including the famous 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph over Steve Waugh's all-conquering Australia, India's maiden Test series victory in Pakistan in 2004, and appearances in the finals of the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy and the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Nurturing a generation of cricketers
Equally significant was his role in nurturing a generation of cricketers who would shape Indian cricket for years to come. Ganguly placed his faith in young talents such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, many of whom went on to become match-winners and key figures in India's ICC title-winning campaigns.
