Sourav Ganguly is widely regarded as one of the greatest Indian captains and batsmen of all time. He played over 100 Tests and over 300 ODIs for India in his career that spanned from 1992-2008.
Ganguly revealed lots of behind the scene things at the India Today Conclave 2018 in Mumbai.
Speaking of winning overseas, Ganguly said, “We were a different side at home and a different side when we travelled. I realised when I played my first Test at Lord's, I was fortunate enough to get back-to-back hundreds. I realised that when you enter the dressing room you have so much talent -- Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sanjay Manjrekar.”
Ganguly continued, "We had the talent but did not know how to win abroad. For me it was a change of culture, change of fitness. We went to England with four spinners and we were going in the month of May which is absolutely cold and freezing. And to play England in the first match at Edgbaston with two fast bowlers and three spinners was an absolute suicide. The culture had to change, the way of thinking had to change. We still believed that like the eras of Bishan Singh Bedi, Prsanna and Chandrashekhar we can still win overseas with spinners.”
"The entire culture had to change, the mindset had to change, the way we played Test cricket had to change and we needed to get fit. We needed the fast bowlers to get wickets. Indian cricket always had batting. Before me there was Gavaskar, Mohinder, Vishwanath. I was fortunate enough to lead some champions -- Sachin, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman. So, India always had the batting but the difference was the fitness culture and the way the fast bowlers bowled overseas," Ganguly said.
Ganguly also expected that Virat Kohli led Indian team will be the winning side when it comes to the England tour later this year.
"India will win Test series in England. They have the attack. Bowlers bowled exceptionally well in South Africa. They have the bowling attack to pick 20 wickets in a match. This team has the batting and they have the bowling too," he said.
