Video: Sourav Ganguly plays gully cricket in Kolkata

(Video courtesy: A creation)

It's not often that one sees prominent cricketing personalities take to the gullies of their backyard and indulge in the game with the kid of the neighbourhood. However, when they do, it is surely a moment to remember for those in that locality.

On Sunday, a few kids in a gully in Kolkata had their moment to savour when a special man joined them for a game of cricket.

He may have quit playing international cricket eight years back, but the game certainly still runs in the blood of Sourav Ganguly. The former India captain, who now analyses the game along with the holding the Presidential position at the Cricket Association of Bengal(CAB), came out in the open on Sunday to play a game of gully cricket with a few kids on the streets of Kolkata.

Judging based on the images that are available, it can be said that the 44-year-old surely does not seem to have his forgotten his stance or his famed lofted shot over the top of the bowler, which he employed on several occasions for left-arm spinners during his playing days.

Incidentally, Ganguly also played the pull shot, something that you didn’t see him play too often during his active days as an international cricketer.All the households came out to cheer their local hero as he spanked the ball to different parts of the gully.

Ganguly last played any form of cricket during the Cricket All Stars last year, where he was part of Sachin Tendulkar’s team- Sachin’s Blasters- which lost 3-0 to Warne’s Warriors.

Ever since announcing his retirement from international cricket, Ganguly has juggled quite a few roles in the game, having served as a commentator in several of India’s home and overseas series and last year, following the demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya took over as the President of the CAB.

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He is also the Chairman of the BCCI’s Technical Committee and was part of the Cricket Advisory Committee, along with Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, that was appointed to select the next coach of the Indian Cricket Tam, who eventually turned out to be a teammate of the trio- Anil Kumble.

Ganguly also played five seasons of the Indian Premier League, three of which he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders and two he played for the now defunct Pune Warriors.