SK Flashback: A look at Sourav Ganguly’s most Instagrammable moments from his career

Sourav Ganguly turns 47 on 8th July, 2019 and has chosen this day to make his debut on the social media platform, Instagram. The legendary left-handed cricketer is one of the most revered sportsperson in the history of Indian sports, let alone cricket.

He has played over 113 Test matches for India, scoring over 7,000 runs at an average of 42.18, a career littered with 16 centuries and 35 half-centuries. In the shorter format of the game, Ganguly represented India 311 times, becoming one of India's top run-getters at 11,363 runs, through 72 fifties and 22 hundreds, while maintaining an average over 40.

It is undisputed that there hasn't been a more eccentric captain for the Indian cricket team than Dada, as the Southpaw from West Bengal is fondly called.

From leading India to a historic win at Lord's to scoring a century on his debut, there have been no shortages of iconic moments in the legend's career. Let's take a look at the top 5 moments of his career that need to be put on, as the cool kids now call it, Insta:

#5 Century on Test Debut

Although Ganguly had a slow start to his ODI career in 1992, his Test debut, in 1996, turned out to be a memorable one, introducing the world to Ganguly’s school of batting. He showed little nerves, acclimatising himself to the Lord’s ground, before tearing into England’s formidable bowling attack.

His smooth-flowing strokes through the offside made everyone sit up and notice his class as he ended up making 131. He became only the 10th Indian to score a Test century on debut, and the first Indian ever to score a ton at the iconic Lord’s. It was a small stepping stone for what turned out to be over a decade of Dadagiri.

#4 Coming late for the toss against Steve Waugh

Dada was someone who would always try to get underneath the opposition’s skin, in a bid to gain a mental edge. Australia were ruling world cricket in the 90s and 2000s, but Ganguly made it a point to look them in their eye and inspire the best out of his team against the dominating yellow brigade.

In 2001, Ganguly decided to give the Australians a taste of their own medicine. He turned up late for the toss in an ODI series, with an irritated Australia captain Steve Waugh at the receiving end. Ganguly later admitted that it was to pay back the Australians, whose coach John Buchanan was being impolite to one of India’s players.

India were, possibly, the only team giving the, then, indomitable Aussies a challenge. And a large part of it is due to the fearlessness Ganguly instilled in the team.

#3 A century of intent against Australia

Scoring a Test century in Australia’s own backyard is no mean feat. Ganguly set the tone for India’s historic second-Test win in Adelaide with a masterclass in the first Test at Brisbane, in 2003-04. India was struggling at 62-3, and had to survive a testing session of pace bowling from Australia’s stellar attack. But Ganguly stood tall, smearing the bowlers across the entire off-side with his silken strokeplay, despite a fiery attack of bouncers.

Coming in at No. 5 after India had lost Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly played a sublime knock of 144 at a strike rate of 73.5. His knock helped India take the lead in the first inning and hold the Aussies to a draw.

The statement of intent formed the backbone of India’s stupendous run throughout the series, many feel which changed the way the team travelled for series outside the subcontinent.

#2 Giving a young Stuart Broad the perfect reply

Englishman Stuart Broad had already had several run-ins with the Indian team before Ganguly decided to give him a piece of his mind. The most notable one was definitely Yuvraj Singh’s 36-run mania in the 2007 World T20. However, that very year, a young Broad tried to rile up the 34-year-old Ganguly, and ended up getting a reply with the bat.

In the sixth ODI of India’s 2007 tour, Broad tried to sledge Ganguly, making the former India captain extremely angry. Broad, however, refused to back off, continuing to spew words. It was then that Ganguly decided to give it back.

When Broad returned to the bowl his next over, Ganguly smacked the very first ball over the long on fence, coupled with a deathly stare right back at the Englishman.

The statement was made. You just don’t mess with Dada!

#1 Waving the India jersey atop the Lord’s balcony

Definitely Dada's, and one of India's, most iconic moment! A moment that will stay etched in Indian fans’ memories forever is the image of a bare-chested Sourav Ganguly waving his jersey on the Lord’s balcony, after India’s most memorable win of the 2000s.

The NatWest triumph changed the face of cricket in modern India, and Ganguly was the leader of the pack which was able to orchestrate it. It was a statement about India’s increasing power in world cricket.

Ganguly was at the helm, building a team of superstars that went on to achieve great heights. But it all started with the 2002 series win against England, an improbable chase of 326 at Lord’s, that made Dada a cult-hero.

The image is definitely fresh in every cricket fan's minds and will remain so for a very long time to come - such was the defiance Dada displayed on the Lord's terrace, the very same where Kapil Dev had lifted the 1983 World Cup trophy.