SK Flashback: India's courageous captains of cricket

The Prince of Kolkata: Sourav Ganguly

Opposing captains of the 2003-04 series

After a period of utter chaos, shame, and scandal in the late 1990s, Indian cricket seemed to be in total disarray. The match fixing scandal had claimed its victims, among them captain, Mohammad Azharuddin. India's Test record in the 1990s too was far from inspiring with victories limited to series at home with just a solo win abroad against Sri Lanka. The Indian cricket team had gained a reputation of wilting under pressure and opposition teams like Australia capitalized on these and other weaknesses.

Indian cricket needed a tough man at the top, a lot of discipline, and a new direction. Saurav Ganguly seemed just the right man for the job. If any one individual can truly claim credit for putting Indian cricket back on the path to ascendancy, it is definitely the Prince of Kolkata. With a win percentage of 42.6% in Tests and 51.7% in ODIs, Saurav changed the script forever. India had become a force to reckon with at home and abroad.

On March 1, 2003 at the Centurion, India played traditional rivals Pakistan in a World Cup group encounter. Pakistan had fielded a four pronged-pace attack comprising Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis, and Abdul Razzaq. Batting first, Pakistanput 273 on the board which was a formidable total considering the nature of the pitch and the bowling attack. An epic innings from Sachin Tendulkar ensured that India prevailed, much against the odds in what was one of the most memorable matches ever for an Indian cricket fan.

Ganguly himself did not score in the match. But his captaincy inspired the team all the way to the finals of the World Cup where they lost to Australia. In 2003-04, India under Saurav, conquered the final frontier, so to speak. Touring Australia who were at their best at the time, not many had given the Indians a chance.

The first Test in Brisbane was drawn with the skipper scoring a magnificent 144 in the first innings. In the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, Australia scored a mammoth 556 in the first innings. Undaunted, Ganguly's boys were equal to the task scoring 523 and bundling Australia out for 196 in the second innings to secure a historic victory by 4 wickets. The self-belief that Saurav Ganguly instilled into the team was unmistakable and India won the Border Gavaskar trophy after the series ended 1-1. Not surprising then, that the drought of overseas victories finally ended with 11 away wins with Ganguly as captain.