Ganguly on his 100th Test appearance

[Guest Hiten.]

If things go according to the script, Sourav Ganguly will step on the Melbourne Cricket Ground turf to play his 100th Test on Wednesday. TOI caught up with the 'Bengal Tiger' in Melbourne for a heart-to-heart chat. Excerpts... Looking back on your career, are you happy with what you have achieved? I have enjoyed some very good times and also gone through tough periods. What’s important is that I have been lucky to be a part of Indian cricket during one of its most successful phases. It’s easily the high point of my career. Have you seen any changes in Indian cricket during your time? A lot of things have changed since I made my Test debut in 1996, especially in terms of training and approach to the game. I have no doubt in my mind that it’s because of these changes that our performances overseas have improved. You have been a part of a core group of exceptionally talented players. Did you enjoy the ride? It has been a privilege to play alongside people like Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, for they are special players. Together we have seen Indian cricket progress. The period between 2000 till the end of the Pakistan series in 2004 was easily one of the most successful periods in contemporary Indian cricket. It was also during this period that we were as successful overseas as we were at home. Of the two comebacks you have made in your remarkable career, which was more difficult, the one in 1996 or 2006? Returning to the fold in South Africa last year was the biggest challenge of my career. In 1992 when I was dropped after just one ODI on the tour of Australia, I was still very young. After returning, I was happy playing in the Ranji Trophy. At 20, age was on my side. However, when I got left out in 2005 it was tough. When I came back in 2006, I needed to find out for myself that I was still good enough to keep performing at the top level. What did life in the wilderness teach you? I realised that there is an entirely different life beyond cricket. It helped to settle my mind. It was a tough phase, but fighting it out helped me to emerge stronger. Do you have anything left to prove? Contrary to the popular belief, I have never tried to prove or disprove anything. Every time I enter a cricket ground I just want to reassure myself that I belong at this level. Even today, I need to constantly reassure myself that I am mentally, physically and technically strong to meet the challenges of international cricket. In the days of image makeovers, you seem to have reconstructed your batting technique... Nothing major. I just made a few adjustments to my stance and grip. Now that I am no longer the captain, my mind is a lot free and I have more time on my hands. I use it to keep working on my game. How big a deal is it to be Indian captain? It’s a great honour and a huge responsibility. I feel every captain has a shelf life. No one can do the job indefinitely because it takes a lot out of you. In India, a captain has to deal with so many things that sometimes he has no time to think about his game. How do you assess your own captaincy? I have always felt that wickets overseas are much better than in India. So, to win abroad, we needed a few good seamers to support our two world-class spinners. Of course, we also needed runs on the board. It was, therefore important to make the players believe in their own ability. It was also important to pick players who we thought would do well overseas and persist with them. That helped us as these players played freely and delivered. So you are happy to be out of the captaincy equation? Let’s put it this way, the pressure on a captain has increased manifold since I first took of the reins of the team. Rahul and Anil must have found that out by now. How would you like to be remembered? As someone who played a small role in showing the world that India is no longer a pushover while playing overseas. You must be looking forward to playing your 100th Test match. How will it be different? I don’t think it will feel any different, but of course, it will be hugely satisfying. I am preparing for it just as I normally do for any other match. It will be an important landmark in my career and I will strive to make the occasion more memorable. How has cricket shaped your persona? Had I not played this wonderful sport, I wouldn’t have been able to experience or know half the things in the world. Not only has cricket taken me all over the world, it has also taught me how to handle pressure and criticism. I also would not have been able to savour the sweetness of success. It’s been a huge learning process. Have you visualised your life after cricket? I have travelled a lot. Probably I will play for some more time, which will include some more travelling as well. I will have to wait and see how I feel mentally by the time I finish. I want to stay at home for some time, with my daughter. http://cricket.indiatimes.com/Fighting_it_out_has_made_me_stronger/articleshow/2645930.cms

[Anakin]

Congrats, now hunt some kangaroos :two_thumbs_up:

[jacky007]

Does 100 Tests mean a lot to you? You've seen Sachin, Rahul and Anil reach this milestone already. Yeah, it does. It's a huge milestone for any cricketer, and not many in Indian cricket have achieved it. Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, and among the current lot Anil [Kumble], Sachin [Tendulkar] and Rahul [Dravid]. So it will be good to join that club. Among the names you have mentioned in the current crop, you've had a rougher ride than the others. So in some way do you look at it as a journey against the odds? Someone from Bengal playing 100 Tests ... We as a state have not produced many big players. But I hope in the future we start doing that, because places like Bombay and Karnataka and Delhi have produced Test players one after the other. In a state where cricket is so well-loved, it's important that we keep producing players who turn up and play for India. Let's just divide your career into a few phases. First there's 1992 to 1996, when you played one game and then were dropped, then 1996 when you made your Test debut and went on till 2000, then captaincy from 2000 to 2005, and finally 2005 to now. Talk us through the many ages of Ganguly. In 1992 I was pretty young. I went to Australia, hardly got to play any cricket, just played one one-day international and then got left out. I played domestic cricket for four years. I was young then and it didn't matter a lot to me then, being left out. Then I came back in 1996 and obviously had a good start to my Test career and then played on. In 2000 I became captain and stayed till 2005, and this was a very successful time in Indian cricket, so it was a satisfying tenure for me. I was left out again in 2005. [i'm] happy to be back and performing as I have been since I made my comeback. Do you think captaincy came to you a bit early? Yes. I was just five seasons old in international cricket. Sachin didn't want to lead the side after that Australia series [1999-2000] and I was the vice-captain then. I was a certainty in both forms of the game, so from that point of view I was the choice. But in terms of the number of years I had played for India, it was a bit early. You took over at a tough time, at the end of match-fixing. You pledged on TV that your team was clean and would continue to be clean. Was that a tough time to take charge? Yes it was. It surprised me at that stage because I was not even aware that these things could actually happen. For those reasons we got a crop of young players. Yuvraj [singh], Zaheer [Khan] came into the scene in 2000. There were only four seniors in the side in me, Sachin, Rahul and Anil. To build a team helped us. Players like [Virender] Sehwag, Harbhajan [singh], Ashish Nehra did the job in one-day cricket. And the benefits are being reaped now. These guys have since become match-winners. You've spoken a bit about youngsters coming through in that period. But the batting also did well; the results were strong. Against Australia, the best team in the world, India won at home and drew away. Was that a golden age for Indian cricket? Yes, of course. And we beat Pakistan in Pakistan after 50 years and we went to the World Cup final. We played two mini-World Cup finals in that time. People like Sachin, Rahul, [VVS] Laxman and Sehwag were batting at their best. That probably helped the team. "In 1992 I was a young boy, 18 or 19, and it didn't matter to me. I was happy playing for Bengal and just playing first-class cricket. At that age you don't worry about anything. When I lost my place in the side in 2005, it was different " Your leadership played a big role in this. Especially what you did with the younger players. What did you do differently? I just set them free. As a captain I had certain ideas - which I see pretty much in Kumble now. I was a firm believer that every cricketer needs to get a fair chance. I had decided that I was going to take the pressure off the players and let them play freely. Which really helped them do justice to their talent. At the same time I had Rahul, Sachin, Anil and Laxman, who themselves were playing outstanding cricket. What you brought to the team and what you are are different things. You're a polite, mild-mannered person but your team was rough and ready for a scrap. I realised that we played well when we were aggressive. When we took the foot off the accelerator, we were a completely different team. We needed to get the team charged up and we got results against Australia in 2001. They came here ... Steve Waugh had won everywhere but here [in India]. He was putting pressure on the team and we were a young side and they knew they were the top team. The only way we could have done well against them was by being aggressive. One of the things that was always spoken of in Indian cricket was regionalism. But your reign as captain saw an end to that, to a large extent. To be honest, when I played cricket even before I was captain, I didn't notice much. Maybe I was too young to do that. When I became captain my entire responsibility was to pick the best possible 15 for India. I wanted to do that and I had no pressures from anywhere to pick someone or drop someone. I made it pretty clear that if I'm captain, the best team has to play. Another important thing that happened at the time was the appointment of India's first foreign coach. You had your differences with John Wright, but in hindsight, and especially in the light of what followed, it was a very healthy working relationship, wasn't it? We worked very well. We had mutual respect for each other. There will be differences in opinion. He'll have an opinion on something and I'll try and give my side of the story. At the end of the day, I always feel it's the captain that counts. Because I have to take decisions in the middle. John was a fantastic person. He was responsible in changing the outlook of Indian cricket. He made the boys realise that winning overseas is important, and that it was not just about winning at home. He was responsible in getting Harbhajan to bowl the way he did against Australia in 2001. Towards the end of your tenure you seemed to be weighed down by it all, especially when your own batting form dipped. Would you agree with that assessment? When you don't perform well as captain, in any country, and particularly in the subcontinent, you will have pressures. Probably it's a coincidence that in the last phase of my captaincy I didn't perform well with the bat. But during my entire tenure I tried to keep captaincy and batting separate. When I went out to bat I never thought I was captain. Even when I did not score with the bat, I knew I had to take decisions on the field that would make the team win. In the later stages it was just a coincidence that I lost the captaincy when my batting form was not good. Wright has since admitted that he probably stayed on longer than he should have. Do you think maybe there was a similar situation with you and the captaincy? No, I don't think so. John wanted to go after the Pakistan series [in 2003-04]. But that had a lot more to do with family reasons than cricket. He had two young children, and to be honest, he had been away from New Zealand for four or five years. We used to go on tour and then return home, but he used to return to India, which was away from home. From that point of view it was harder for him because we would invariably go home, he wouldn't. You were out of the side from 1992 to 1996. Then again, you were out in 2005. How would you compare the two phases? They're two completely different things. In 1992 I was a young boy, 18 or 19, and it didn't matter to me. I was happy playing for Bengal and just playing first-class cricket. At that age you don't worry about anything. When I lost my place in the side in 2005, it was different. I was 32, I'd lost my captaincy - for whatever reasons; there was a lot of controversy going around. That was not a very happy way to lose my place in the side. Those two situations were completely different. What kept you going when you were left out the second time around? What sort of work did you do? I worked on my game and I got a lot of time for myself. When I was away from the hustle and bustle of international cricket, the hotels, airports, day-in and day-out, that's a different grind. The fatigue ... I was completely out of the system, but I always believed I had it in me to play. There were a lot of tough tours coming and I knew that if people don't do well, my turn will come. It was just a belief and hope and things could have gone the other way as well. But that's what destiny is all about. From the outside it appears that you're a lot calmer at the crease now. Your composure is intact. Is this a change since you made your comeback? It depends, Anand. When you play well, a lot of things look good. When you're not playing well, you try things and it doesn't work. That's why this is sport. Obviously I have more time to myself now and captaincy does take a load in India. As a captain you have to handle the team, your own game, media, selection, getting tours working - so it is not easy. Now I have more time for myself, to work on my game. I can think about what I need to do to help the team which keeps me mentally fresh. So you would agree that batting is a lot about keeping your mind free and sorting the mental aspects? Yeah, of course. Anything is about keeping your mind free. The more you start thinking about other things, it doesn't help. Which of your innings since your comeback has given you the most satisfaction? And you have a few to choose from. To be very honest the first knock in Johannesburg was very crucial. It was my comeback and it was a difficult wicket and we won a Test match in South Africa for the first time. My knock in Nottingham, when me and Sachin had a crucial stand, that was satisfying - also in a match India won. A hundred at Eden Gardens, my first hundred at home, that was satisfying. Also my first double-hundred, [after] we were 61 for 4 ... it's been good. You're not known for your fitness, but still you've had a long career. What's the secret of your longevity? I have done my fitness work. I'm not as fit as a Mohammad Kaif or as some of these younger guys are. When we started our cricket, the idea of fitness was completely different. It has changed over the years. People like me and Rahul have worked on our fitness. We may not be the quickest on the field. But we do our cardio and weights, which actually helps when you bat. Your technique is not as compact as Sachin's or Rahul's. Have you had to work that much harder? No, it's not as compact. My technique was never as compact as those two, but I have other gifts. My timing. I could hit the good balls for four and maybe other people may not have had this ability. I had to adjust my game accordingly. I've realised what my strengths are and what my strengths are not, and played accordingly. By God's grace I had this natural ability of being a very good player on the off side. That helped in international cricket, because that's the channel where bowlers like to bowl and try to get you out. Every player is going to be different, but every player should find a way to get runs. I've just found my way. You've spoken about some of the difficulties in leading India. What's the most difficult part? The most difficult part of leading India is time management. And you have to be thick-skinned. You cannot worry about what's going on around you. You have to lead with your best intentions. You have to wake up in the morning or go to sleep in the night thinking, "Today I've done what is the best for the good of Indian cricket." There will be opinions. Thousands of people are watching, people are making livelihoods out of this game, so there will be criticism. If you start going through all of them, then you'll have a very tough time. You have to learn how to switch yourself off from all this and do what is good for the game. Rahul Dravid has said that the reactions of the fans and the media sometimes lacks proportion. Would you agree? I've had my ways of dealing with this. And I've told Jam this once before as well. You should not be worried about how the media and public react. They can react however they want. It's how you as captain react to what they say that's important. You have to learn to keep yourself out of all this. To digress for a second: I have criticised you repeatedly over the years, in my writing and on television. I'm seen to be anti-Ganguly. Why are you sitting down with me and speaking to me? No, no, no. I have never thought like that. I have never worried about criticism. If I don't play well, I don't expect you to write that I've played well. What only matters is that it should not get personal. Anand, I'm a pretty free person. I don't have hiccups like this and I don't carry baggage. Even with my team-mates, when I was captain, I would get angry with them on the field at times, but off the field I'd go out of my way to back them. I've got no issues with criticism. Sometimes it helps. What is preventing India, with its large talent pool and vast resources, from becoming a dominant force in world cricket? I think we have become more dominant over time. Playing at home we've always been very good. But our performance overseas in the last five-seven years has changed. I was reading recently, probably on your website, that India has won more matches overseas than any team other than Australia, in recent times. That's a pretty good sign. But we need some quality players. We've had a crop of players - Tendulkar, Dravid, myself, Laxman, Anil, in the 34-35 years bracket - who have been outstanding for Indian cricket. We need some consistent talent coming through. To be honest, I've not seen anything special, except for Yuvraj and Sehwag in the batting, and Harbhajan, Sreesanth and RP. Zaheer is a seasoned campaigner, so I'm not including him in this bracket. We need some more quality players coming through, especially in terms of batting. If you could change something about Indian cricket what would it be? Try and take the pressure off the players as much as possible. Let them play as freely as they can. © Cricinfo

[Lurker]

Good to see Ganguly so positive. He must be the most positive chap amongst the senior batting line-up today. Even Australian media are giving him proper respect and there is lot more coverage of him than Sachin, Dravid or VVS. If Ganguly cracks good form that would be superb for India.

[guju24]

good to see ganguly's confidence....its good if he can continue wht he did in india against pakistan....congrats on 100th test match...

[DesiChap]

BCCI to present trophy to Ganguly on playing 100 Tests PTI MELBOURNE, December 24: Sourav Ganguly's approaching 100th Test has sparked off a wave of goodwill and BCCI is not the one to be left behind. BCCI has sent across a trophy to be presented to Ganguly on the first day of the Boxing Day Test against Australia in acknowledgement of the services which the 'Prince of Kolkata' has rendered to Indian cricket. The trophy has arrived in Melbourne and so careful is liaison officer that he has put it in a locker in the dressing room in the MCG. The trophy has been made in Jaipur and apparently has a price tag of Rs 85,000. The BCCI also plans a dinner in Ganguly's honour, hosted by board president Sharad Pawar, once he is back in India. Among the prominent visitors arriving from India for Ganguly's big day is Cricket Association of Bengal president Prasun Mukherjee with BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah coming on Tuesday. Shah will felicitate Ganguly on BCCI's behalf and will also negotiate with Cricket Australia to see if the tax issue could be taken care of. Ganguly also has wife Donna and daughter Sana around on his proud day. The former captain himself seems moved by the momentous occasion but does not want his attention to waver from the all important task of doing well for India in the first Test. For most of Monday, he kept both his mobile phones switched off.

[DesiChap]

Waugh turns Ganguly admirer PTI MELBOURNE, December 23: Long-time adversary Steve Waugh has turned full circle and is now a great admirer of Sourav Ganguly, now standing at the cusp of his 100th Test match. "You don't have to like or dislike him. You have to respect him," said the former Australian captain whose run-in with his then Indian counterpart took up reams of home pages and hours of prime time on television. "He's tough and has played for a long time. There are certain things that rub people up the wrong way but that's just him," Waugh added. Ganguly is set to play the 100th Test of his career at the MCG on Boxing Day, having come to Australia with back to back hundreds in his 98th and 99th Test. During the 2000-2001 series, Ganguly had infuriated Waugh by making him wait at the time of the toss; claiming to win tosses when he hadn't and launching a scathing attack on the Australian at the slightest provocation. "I think there were times when he pushed it a bit far with the toss. It was not only myself. The match referee warned him a number of times not to do it and he continued to do it." "That was a lack of respect. But that was his choice, fair enough. That's dead and buried now. But as a player he certainly is a very good player and it's a credit to him the way he has come back," he said. "Being dropped as a captain, in Australia that's a death sentence but in India they give you a chance to get back into the side. He has fought hard to get back in there and he is probably batting as well as he has ever batted. "That's great resilience, great resistance and that's a good example to the younger players." "He's the type of bloke you would want to have on your side. When you see an Indian side with Ganguly in the line-up, you know it's game on. Now in his probably the final tour of Australia, Waugh felt Ganguly would be difficult to dislodge and more determined than ever to leave the shores here with his reputation enhanced. "It surely is going to be at the back of his mind. He would try very hard to leave a good impression. He scored a brilliant hundred in Brisbane in 2000-2003 and would like to score a lot of runs in the present series."

[Ram]

I cant stop marveling at Ganguly's tenacity and mental toughness. He is slowly becoming a legend in my books. Now, the whole world is sitting up and taking notice. Ganguly's tale just re-iterates how short public memory is. just 12 months ago, he was everyone's villain, scheming his way back into an Indian team, with a coach who didnt exactly like it. Now, he is everybody's favorite hero, and people, and that includes even his arch enemies, are queuing up to sing his praise. His story is worth making into a bollywood movie actually, will be tremendous hit. If at all he writes an autobiography , I will be amongst his first buyers. I would definitely like to know how he handled the incredibly tough period in the whole of 2006, how he managed to keep all the brickbats that came his way out of his mind. Will make riveting reading i think.

[theguyinallblue]

i have selected him over VVS...in my SS...He better justify his selection in my SS by his performances.. not only in one innings but in entire series.... less than 600 runs from him in 8 innnigs will be a total failure..

[Ram]

i have selected him over VVS...in my SS...He better justify his selection in my SS by his performances.. not only in one innings but in entire series.... less than 600 runs from him in 8 innnigs will be a total failure..

Sandeep, seriously, dont you think labeling anything less than 600 runs in a 4 test match as a "total failure" is a bit too much ? :D

[theguyinallblue]

Respect does not come cheap ..Sri..:D

[DesiChap]

One needs to have fire in the belly, says Sourav - Former Team India captain opens up hours away from his 100th Test LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHISourav Ganguly during a media conference in Melbourne on Monday. (AFP)

Melbourne: Sourav Ganguly is neither the captain on this tour nor is he Team India’s senior-most pro. However, in the build-up to the latest Test series, he remains the most talked about. Sourav, who will make his 100th Test appearance on Wednesday, spoke to the media on Monday afternoon. Later, he also had a brief one-on-one with The Telegraph. The following are excerpts On the forthcoming Test series Australia is a good side, but we’ve played well against them... We’re probably the only team to have competed with them home and away... If you look at the records over the past six years, you’ll see we’ve beaten Australia... They’re tough, but we’ve got the side to play well. On Team India winning overseas in recent years Most of the boys in this team have seen success abroad... They know what it means to win overseas... They know they’ve got to put runs on the board... On the difference between the side which toured Australia in 2003-04, under his captaincy, and the one this time Then, we had a weak attack... We’ve probably got a better bowling attack this time and, with (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni coming at No. 7, we bat deep... We need to have runs on the board, though... You can have all the names and all the ammunition, but performing in the middle is what matters. What we achieved (drawing the Test series) four years ago has no bearing on the present. On whether the row between Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist could affect Australia’s performance These things happen in sport and we shouldn’t read much into it... Both have been big performers for Australia... Today, Warney is away from the game and has the right to speak. On the Australian attack They’ll miss Warney and Glenn McGrath, but it’s an opportunity for Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson and Brad Hogg... On handling Brett Lee We’ve got to play according to the merit of the ball... We’ve just come off a series where we faced Shoaib Akhtar, who is probably the quickest... Lee has been doing well, but we’ll stand up and face him (with confidence). On the centres — Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide — for the Test series I believe the (drop-in) wicket at the MCG has slowed down, but it will still have enough bounce and carry... Sydney and Adelaide will probably spin a bit... Perth, as you all know, will bounce a bit... Adapting to different conditions is critical and we have to get used to the bounce. On the issue of accommodating Yuvraj Singh in the XI (Laughs) It’s Anil Kumble’s headache... On whether he’s feeling the pressure, being hours away from his 100th Test Don’t think there’s pressure because it will be my 100th... It’ll be just another Test and I’m happy that I’ll be part of the club featuring players who’ve played 100 Tests and 300 ODIs... As a professional, I’ll be happy on Wednesday... One likes to achieve and getting to play 100 Tests is an achievement. On the biggest days in his career When I made my debut (June 1996), when I got the captaincy (March 2000)... Boxing Day will also be on that list. On whether not being captain has made a difference Not being captain has taken a lot of the responsibility away from me... As captain you’ve got to do a whole lot of things and could end up with no time for yourself... Now, I can do my own thing while, at the same time, trying to help Anil and the players in whatever way I can... Of course, I realise Anil is the captain and he has his views... It’s a coincidence that I’m not captain and have been doing well since my comeback last December... The bottomline really is that when I’m in, I look to make the most. On the form factor You’re in a better frame of mind when you’re in form. You’ll have failures, but you’ve to find ways to overcome them... Find the way to be successful and you’ve got to repeat that... I did get runs in the last series (against Pakistan), but I’ll be starting from scratch. On Greg Chappell’s role in having him dropped (in 2005-06) I really don’t want to talk about Greg Chappell and his decisions... It’s a thing of the past for me and I want to keep away from it. On the chirping It’s common across the world... Something goes around the ground all the time, not all of which is bad... There’s tough competition in the middle and you’ve got to live with it... But, yes, I’m a firm believer in that what matters is what you do with bat and ball... On whether verbal duels fire him up I haven’t tried to lift my performance only because something verbal is on... I try to do that every time I walk out. On the one-time bad vibes between him and Steve Waugh Who says he doesn’t like me? Having a fight on the cricket field, in an effort to win, doesn’t mean you’ve got to be on bad terms... It’s about competing hard. On receiving high praise from Steve He’s probably one of my role models and was a champion player... Steve lifted Australian cricket and what Australian cricket is today is a lot because of Steve and the boys of his era... Obviously, Ricky Ponting’s doing a wonderful job as well. Finally, on what has made him tick (Grins) I suppose my determination... The determination to find ways out of tough situations... Clearly, one needs to have fire in the belly.

[DesiChap]

It’s a tribute to his skills, says Rahul Dravid

On Monday afternoon, some of the Team India players — except Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who briefly spoke on Sunday evening — and members of the support staff wished former captain Sourav Ganguly in the lead-up to his 100th Test. Here goes (alphabetically): Chetan Chauhan (manager): It’s going to be a big achievement and I’d like to congratulate him on behalf of the team… Sourav has made a terrific comeback and has been performing in every series… He has a big heart and is always determined… I’m sure he’ll produce a memorable innings at the MCG. Mahendra Singh Dhoni: It’s such a huge achievement… Sourav has given so much to Indian cricket that it will be befitting if he gets a hundred in his 100th Test. Rahul Dravid: It’s a great feeling when a teammate is about to achieve something… It’s special and Sourav deserves it… It’s a tribute to his skills… He has worked very hard… Getting to 100 Tests is a reflection not only of your ability, but physical strength and mental toughness… It takes a lot out of you… The 100th Test is just another Test, but it’s also a milestone and allows you to sit back and reflect on your achievements. Over the years, Sourav has done a few great things… I wish him all the best.

Wasim Jaffer: My good wishes for Sourav… Very few Indians have played 100 Tests and, so, it’s going to be a big achievement. Dinesh Karthik: I wish Dada all the very best… I hope he gets a hundred and we win the Test… Just won’t get better than that. Venkatesh Prasad (bowling coach): Sourav has made a tremendous contribution and I wish him the very best… Many more Test matches and many more runs. Lalchand Rajput (cricket manager): We’re all very happy for Sourav… Hope he has a merry Christmas and then gives us a gift in his 100th Test! Pankaj Singh: We wish Sourav well and wish he scores a hundred.

[DesiChap]

Important to have the hunger to succeed, says Sourav - A TELEGRAPH SPECIAL The former India captain on his favourite Tests and more LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI

Melbourne: Sourav Ganguly, the man of the moment, spoke to The Telegraph at The Langham Hotel on Tuesday — hours before his 100th Test appearance. The following are excerpts On the Tests which mean the most to him No.1: My debut Test, at Lord’s, in June 1996... That I got a hundred (131) on debut makes it all that more special. In any case, nobody forgets his first Test. Captain: Mohammed Azharuddin. Result: Draw. No.2: The Bangalore Test against Pakistan, earlier this month... I got a career-best 239 and 91 and was rewarded with the MoM and MoS awards... We won the series too. Captain: Anil Kumble. Result: Draw. No.3: The Calcutta Test versus Australia in March 2001... We were behind by 274 on the first innings but still pulled off a great win... Harbhajan (Singh) got a hattrick and there was that memorable partnership between (V.V.S.) Laxman and Rahul (Dravid). Captain: Sourav. Result: India won by 171 runs. No.4: The Rawalpindi Test in April 2004... The huge win there gave us our first series win in Pakistan... I got some runs (77) as well. Captain: Sourav. Result: India won by an innings and 131 runs. No.5: The Brisbane Test in December 2003... I got a hundred (144) and I believe that set the tone for the series, which ended 1-1. That hundred fetched me the MoM award. Captain: Sourav. Result: Draw. No.6: The Adelaide Test in December 2003... Dravid and Laxman got runs and (Ajit) Agarkar picked up six wickets in the second innings. Captain: Sourav. Result: India won by four wickets. No.7: The Nottingham Test in July this year... Sachin (Tendulkar) and I had a good partnership in the first innings (96 for the fourth-wicket) and with the bowlers doing a superb job, we won quite comfortably. Captain: Dravid. Result: India won by seven wickets. No.8: The Johannesburg Test in December 2006... That was my comeback and it was important both for me and the team... After all, we’d been hammered in the ODIs... I contributed with an unbeaten 51 in the first innings... Those runs came in tough conditions and we went on to win the Test. Captain: Dravid. Result: India won by 123 runs. No.9: The recent Calcutta Test against Pakistan... I got my first hundred (102) at the Eden and, so, that Test will remain special. Captain: Kumble. Result: Draw. No.10: The Kandy Test in August 2001... We’d lost the first one (in Galle), but came back strongly... My unbeaten 98 (second innings) also got me the MoM award. Captain: Sourav. Result: India won by seven wickets. No.11: The Headingley Test in August 2002... All three of us — Sachin, Rahul and I — got hundreds and we won in conditions which were typically English... I remember having played both spinners (Kumble, Harbhajan). Captain: Sourav. Result: India won by an innings and 46 runs. On the journey which has brought him to within hours of his 100th Test It has been long... Has been good... I’ve learnt a lot... Learnt to fight... Learnt to accept situations... Indeed, I’ve learnt about life itself... I’ve received accolades, I’ve been criticised... That, I suppose, is part of sport. On what did he learn the most during the time (2005-06) that he was out of Team India That there’s more to life than just cricket... On whether he has been afraid of failure No... Largely because I’ve known my life wouldn’t change if I had to stop playing cricket... It’s important to be hungry... It’s important to have the hunger to succeed... Good Test cricketers don’t put their feet up and relax after one or two achievements. On handling pressure One has to find ways to overcome it... Self-belief is required. On whether being dropped after the Karachi Test (February 2006) made him feel his career would end with 88 Tests Wanted to make a comeback, that’s it... The only thought was to make a return... That kept driving me... (After a pause) I believe in God and believe in destiny... That belief gives me strength. On when did he become conscious that the 100th Test was nearing During the series in England this summer, when I was doing well. On his target beyond Wednesday The team should do well... As for myself, I’m looking to play right through 2008... On the one he’s most thankful to God. On whether he’ll be missing anybody when he makes his 100th Test appearance My father (Chandi Ganguly)... He’s not keeping well and, so, couldn’t come to Melbourne. Finally, memories of his debut Test (Emotionally) I haven’t forgotten anything... I don’t know the reason, but I was absolutely calm... Wasn’t worried about failing... Didn’t feel the pressure... My mind was absolutely clear... Strangely, I’ve never felt that way again and, today, 15 things come to mind and I’ve got to psyche myself... Got to keep telling myself that I must watch the ball... Perhaps that calmness on debut was thanks to God...