5 masterstrokes by Sourav Ganguly as an administrator

Saurav Ganguly has proved himself beyond the pitchSourav Ganguly will go down in the history books as one of the most prolific cricketers India has ever produced. However, he isn't quite ready to retire from his role in shaping sports in India just yet. There have been innumerable instances where sports has had to take a back seat to politics. Conflicts of interest between what's right for the game and what is right for the interested party politically, is a conflict which has been waged for ages. Often times sports have had to suffer, as those in power administratively and politically have always had leverage. The problem is usually that the people in power may not come from the background of the very sport whose cause they are supposed to champion.Enter, Dada. After retiring from the sport, some cricketers choose to exclusively become television personalities, some choose to disappear from the spotlight, and others just fail to make a impact off the field the way they did on it. Sourav Ganguly is one of the few who is making waves after his retirement as well. Here is a look at 5 master strokes by Sourav Ganguly as an administrator.

#1 Atletico de Kolkata

Ganguly’s team has seen a high level of success

Football worshippers in Kolkata could be divided in two groups, those who frantically support Mohun Bagan, and the rest who frantically support their arch rivals East Bengal. It is not an easy task to find common ground or a unifying factor between the two. In the city of Kolkata, ther may be only a couple of people able to bridge that divide. Sourav Ganguly, Dada, is one of those ubermensch. The city of Kolkata unites steadfast behind Atletico De Kolkata thanks in part because it unites behind Sourav Ganguly. He owns it as part of Kolkata Games and Sports Pvt. Ltd which also consists of Harshavardhan Neotia, Sanjiv Goenka, Utsav Parekh, and Spanish La Liga side Atletico de Madrid.

#2 On BCCI Cricket Advisory and Technical Committee

Ganguly is on multiple BCCI committees

Ganguly was offered a choice between commentating and having a role as BCCI Technical Committee Chairman. The fact that he chose the latter over the more glamorous role speaks volumes about his vested interest in developing cricket in India. Who better to understand, emphatize with, and act in the best interest of sport in India than one who has struggled his way to the top and battled innumerable hostiles along the way.

Once in 2003, Anil Kumble was about to be dropped for the Tour Down under, but not if Ganguly had anything to say about it. He stood his ground in a meeting which went on till 2 PM at night. He did get Kumble on the team, along with an ultimatum from the selectors stating that if Kumble doesn't take wickets and the team doesn't do well, they'll have a new captain. As it turned out, Kumble finished that season as the highest wicket taker on the ICC Calendar.

This shows that Ganguly is ready and willing to go out on a limb for what he believes to be the best for the sport. He is on the BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee and is also the BCCI Technical Committee Chairman.

#3 President of CAB and bagging sponsorships

He has good reason to smile

Being elected as the president of the CAB is an achievement in itself. Sourav Ganguly has now shown that he is more than deserving of the post by bagging IDBI Federal Life Insurance as Bengal cricket’s title sponsor for the next two years. They are paying Rs 1 crore for their sponsorship in order to gain visibility through brand placement on jerseys, mentions in CAB’s Vision 20-20 programme branding at the stadium during Bengal Ranji Trophy matches.

"This organisation has given me so much, I grew here as a young cricketer, so it's our job to guide other young cricketers to get the right opportunity, I can't bat for them but still I will make sure I give them all facilities."- said Ganguly. It is obvious that he has a strong connection with the state and the sport. One would be hard pressed to find a more suitable candidate.

#4 Hosting Egiye Bangle (Bengal Leads)

Egiye Bangle

Sourav Ganguly will host a Business Reality show named Egiye Bangle (Bengal Leads) for the West Bengal government to promote start ups in the state. Breaking benchmarks, this will be the first government promoted reality show in India. When you are being chosen as the face and anchor for a show which is all about getting investors to pitch in your state, it is a safe bet to say that he is considered as an administrative heavyweight who commands confidence and respect.

"Sourav is the biggest brand of the state and an youth icon. And interestingly, he is not just a cricketer, he is an entrepreneur as well. He is the mentor and anchor for this program. We think he will be successful in making our show popular as well." said Rajiv Sinha, Principal Secretary of the MSME Department, West Bengal.

#5 Launching Vision 2020

Winning by a landslide

In a masterstroke Ganguly started the Vision 2020 program to groom youngsters. He’s even roped in Waqar Younis and Muttiah Muralitharan to help the kids out. ”We want to help players in Bengal. I realise the need of having the expertise to take Bengal players ahead. These youngsters need special guidance and we can't have better persons than Waqar and Murali." Murali has already found a protege in Aamir Gani, who’s astounded in the Ranji Trophy.

In the first phase of the camp at the Jadavpur University campus in Salt Lake, they shortlisted players from a pool of 200 bowlers picked from 97 clubs. The program looks poised to be a bedrock of emerging talent in the state.