5 life lessons we can learn from Sourav Ganguly

Numerous captains have led the nation before his stint and plenty more will do so in the coming future. However, Sourav Ganguly has managed to carve a unique niche for himself in the annals of Indian cricket. With his bold leadership as well as tactful man-management skills, the stylish left-hander instilled immense self-belief in his team mates and consequently transformed the entire outlook of the Indian team across both Tests and ODIs.

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When he ascended to the throne of captaincy at the turn of the millennium, Indian cricket was probably at its lowest ebb. While the vestiges of the infamous match-fixing scandal threatened to tear the game apart, the team's performances away from home also left a lot to be desired. However, a braver and stronger India emerged under Ganguly's captaincy. The country's successes in the latter part of the 2000s and early stages of the 2010s are largely due to the foundation established by the 'Prince of Calcutta'.

Drawing parallels with Ganguly's inspirational captaincy as well as tenacious batting, here are five life-lessons we can all learn from his memorable career.

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#5 Never listen to naysayers

Ganguly scored a sublime century at Lord's to announce his arrival into Test cricket

Before he could turn 20, Ganguly received his maiden call-up to the national team for the Benson & Hedges World Series in 1992. Making his ODI debut against the then intimidating West Indies pace battery on a rock-hard surface in Brisbane, he endured a painful stay at the crease before succumbing to a vicious delivery from Anderson Cummins.

(Video Courtesy: robelinda2)

Following the chastening debut akin to fire and brimstone, Ganguly spent more than four years in the wilderness. When he returned to the Indian team for his inaugural sojourn in Test cricket, naysayers stooped low and termed his inclusion as a 'quota pick'. However, the Calcutta-born batsman did not pay heed to doubters and chose to let his bat do the talking. After announcing his arrival in grand style with a splendid century at Lord's on debut, he reached three figures once more in Trent Bridge to become only the third batsman in the history of the game to score a century in each of his first two Test innings.

The manner in which Ganguly won over his naysayers stands as a perfect example in dealing with doubters. In every sphere of life, the presence of skeptics aplenty is the common link. Instead of walking into their traps by letting them get into our heads, it becomes imperative to channel our energies in the proper direction. After all, there is no better way to respond to pessimists than ignoring their cynical views and letting our work do the talking.

#4 Don't get intimidated by menacing nemesis

Ganguly did not allow the opposition's reputation to dictate terms

Much like the way in which Imran Khan's Pakistani team took the fight to the powerful Caribbean juggernaut during the latter half of 1980s, Sourav Ganguly's Indian unit stood toe to toe with the all-conquering Australian outfit of the early 2000s. With his counterpart dubbing India as their 'Final Frontier', not many expected India to match up to a star-studded Aussie lineup despite having the comforts of home conditions. When the visitors were on the precipice of a famous series victory, the Miracle of Eden Gardens happened and India pulled off an euphoric 2-1 triumph.

While one cannot take credit away from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid for their series-defining partnership or Harbhajan Singh for his astonishing spells, Ganguly's strong leadership played a pivotal role in shaping the proceedings. Be it psychologically denting Steve Waugh by deliberately making him wait at the toss or promoting Laxman ahead of the more experienced Sachin Tendulkar, the captain marshalled his troops by making them believe that they had it in them to slay the menacing Australians.

In a massive country like India where there is relentless competition in every field, the presence of tougher and more accomplished rivals can sap one's self-belief. However, as Ganguly showed by leading his nation to a game-changing triumph, the first step in vanquishing stronger competitors stems from denying credence to their reputation. Even if the adversary appears to be impenetrable, unshakable confidence on one's own ability goes a long way in achieving seemingly unthinkable challenges.

#3 Relish the opportunity to prove a point

Ganguly silenced the doubters by smashing a scintillating century at The Gabba

With his trademark crouching stance, Ganguly's languid style of play through the off-side was one of the most elegant sights in the Indian team of his era. However, his issues against well-directed short-pitched deliveries did not go unnoticed. While pitches in the subcontinent did not provide enough assistance to exploit his technique against bouncers, the southpaw's weakness was often put to the sword by Test-class fast bowlers outside Asia.

Before India embarked on a demanding tour of Australia in 2003/04, critics began to hound his ability to tackle the short ball. By the time the first Test began on a typical Gabba surface, plenty had written him off. However, Ganguly produced a regal 196-ball 144 against a bowling attack led by Jason Gillespie and helped India emerge from the match with a creditable draw. The visitors would go on to script a historic triumph in Adelaide and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy following a remarkable 1-1 series score-line.

(Video Courtesy: cricket.com.au)

Instead of cowering into his shell, Ganguly confronted criticism head-on and used the encircling situation as an opportunity to prove a point. Possessing such a fighting attitude in the face of opprobrium is extremely necessary to survive in the cut-throat environment prevalent within the contemporary work force.

#2 Leadership is all about showing faith

Ganguly changed the face of Indian cricket by backing those promising young talents

When asked to provide an accurate method to identify a natural leader, respected American writer Tom Peters remarked, 'Leaders don't create more followers, they create more leaders'. Ganguly's commendable captaincy career stands as testament to the impact that a true leader can create on his crew.

At a time when most other captains preferred to operate within cliques for fear of revolt, Ganguly broke stereotypes associated with subcontinental cricket by empowering each and every member in the side. From bowlers with keen tactical nous like Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan to shrewd batsmen such as Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, the skipper tried to create plenty more leaders within the Indian team by entrusting them with responsibility. His decision to promote the debonair wicket-keeper batsman to number three during the 2005 Vizag ODI against Pakistan was instrumental in the evolution of Dhoni's career.

It did not come across as a surprise when the vast majority of his 'boys' stood by Ganguly's side at the time of crisis. That there is a leader hidden in each of us remains one of the most important lessons from the captain's legacy. The foremost aspect of good leadership lies in placing faith on one's troops rather than shouldering the burden on our own.

#1 Treat adversity as a platform for resurgence

Ganguly had the fortitude to fight his way back into the Indian team after the Greg Chappell episode

It is often said that one's character is only revealed during the time of adversity. While his adroit leadership skills as well as elegant stroke-play were well-documented during the first half of his career, Ganguly's single-mindedness truly came to the fore during the aftermath of the infamous Greg Chappell saga.

Upon clamouring for the Australian batting great to be appointed as John Wright's successor, Ganguly later found out that the bullet he had dispatched came back spiralling in his own direction to take a shot at him. He was not only stripped of captaincy but also ousted from the team which he had painstakingly fashioned in his own image. Unceremoniously consigned to the wilderness, the veteran responded by scoring a resilient century in the Duleep Trophy and went on to reclaim his place in the Indian team. In his renaissance period, the left-hander operated as a specialist batsman and amassed 3111 runs from 55 matches (across both Tests and ODIs) at an impressive average of 45.08. Eventually, he bowed out of the international arena on his own terms.

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If there's anything that is guaranteed in life, then it is probably failure. A glance of almost every successful personality's career reveals the common strand of defeat and subsequent resurgence. At a time when he could have easily opted to retire, Ganguly chose to battle his demons and made a stirring comeback. Having the aptitude to treat adversity as a platform for glory can make a crucial difference to one's mindset during despondence.