Who said what: Cricketers wish Sourav Ganguly on his 45th birthday

Two powerhouses of Indian cricket celebrate their birthdays on successive dates: while MS Dhoni turned 36 on July 7, his mentor, Sourav Ganguly, turns 45 the following day.Anyone who followed Indian cricket in the early 2000s can vouch that Sourav Ganguly left an indelible mark on the team: mentoring future superstars with his infectious energy, a never-say-die attitude, and a knack for squeezing out the best of performances from his troops.

Apart from his captaincy skills, Ganguly was a glorious batsman on his day, with an off-side play that was a sight for gods. An attacking southpaw with silky drives and deft touches, he could come down the track in a flash and send spinners out of the ground.

A highly respected figure in the cricketing circles, he moved to the administrative side of things post retirement and is now the CAB President and a member of the CoA.

On his 45th birthday, Twitter was abuzz with messages for the India great. Here’s how the cricketing fraternity wished him:

Virender Sehwag

Whatever success I could achieve in Test Cricket,I truly attribute it to the wonderful support you gave me @SGanguly99 . #HappyBirthdayDada pic.twitter.com/wJJRvL6g90

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 8, 2017

Pro Tip-While with Dada,best to be on his leg side.On the offside,ball or human it's a boundary. In this pic,Bat is on his left.#OffSideGod pic.twitter.com/aBlnHHjKdo

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 8, 2017

Harbhajan Singh

#HappyBirthdayDada! You've always been an inspiration and a true hero. Have a great one, @SGanguly99 God bless you #Topman

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 8, 2017

Cheteshwar Pujara

Happy birthday to the man who has given us innumerable moments to cherish. Happy birthday, @SGanguly99!

— cheteshwar pujara (@cheteshwar1) July 8, 2017

Aakash Chopra

Happy Birthday to the God of Off-Side, one of India's finest ODI batsman and an inspirational leader #Dada pic.twitter.com/qsCai3Q0ky

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 8, 2017

Mohammad Kaif

#HappyBirthdayDada ,the man who brought about a great transition in Indian cricket. Forever a legend @SGanguly99 ! May you have a grt life. pic.twitter.com/nfeaCKfIrT

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 8, 2017

Yuvraj Singh

Wishing dearest @SGanguly99 many happy returns of the day lots of love dadi. pic.twitter.com/aayhy5VFWa

— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) July 8, 2017

Sachin Tendulkar

#HappyBirthdayDada! It was always a pleasure to play with you, @SGanguly99! Have a good one! pic.twitter.com/CcG75sqJH4

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 8, 2017

Suresh Raina

A very #HappyBirthdayDada Wishing you many healthy, happy and joyful years ahead. @SGanguly99 pic.twitter.com/siskfh7JuL

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) July 8, 2017