Former Indian cricketer and chairman of the national selectors' Kris Srikkanth has showered rich praise on Sourav Ganguly for his incredible captaincy style, comparing former India captain with West Indies legend Clive Lloyd while describing the current BCCI president as a born leader.
Ganguly, one of India’s most successful captains, has inspired the Indian cricket team to scale many highs, dream big and taste victory in all conditions during his tenure. India also reached the World Cup final for the first time in 2003 under Ganguly since the 1983 title glory by Kapil Dev-led Team India. He also led India to the famous NatWest Trophy win in England in 2002.
Srikkanth said on Star Sports 1 Tamil show Cricket Connected – Aattam Thodarum: “Ganguly was proactive. He was the guy who was able to form the team combination. Like how in 1976 Clive Lloyd formed the winning combination (for the West Indies team), Sourav put the correct team together and then inspired them.”
The former captain further added, “That’s why Ganguly was a successful captain, even in foreign conditions. They started winning abroad. Ganguly is a born leader.”
Meanwhile, former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan also lauded Srikkanth’s captaincy style, saying the former opener had the capability of leading the national troop for a long period.
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Sivaramakrishnan said: “Cheeka (Srikkanth) was an aggressive captain. He provided a lot of results. He was very proactive. A player like (Sachin) Tendulkar made his debut under Cheeka’s (Srikkanth’s) captaincy. Cheeka’s encouragement to Sachin Tendulkar at that young age gave him confidence and he went on to become the world’s best batsman. We’ve had a lot of inspirational captains, but I always feel Cheeka could have captained more.”
The former spinner also lauded Sunil Gavaskar’s leadership skills while recalling how his guidance helped him to win the 1985 World Series in Australia.
Sivaramakrishnan signed off by saying, “Gavaskar’s captaincy and his man-management… I was only 19-years-old and I needed guidance and Gavaskar gave me that guidance perfectly.”
(With PTI Inputs)
