Dada has Arrived!

Like a new baby, Sourav Ganguly came back into the Indian team exactly after nine months. But his arrival wasn’t marked by joy or euphoria; rather, it was greeted with skepticism and cynical laughs. Nobody really knew how Ganguly would blend with the others; nobody dared to think how the old differences would be tackled. Worse, nobody really believed he would last long on the hard and bouncy pitches here against express speed and raw aggression.

In the practice game at Potchefstroom, just three days after reaching here, the worst fears came true: Ganguly blinked into a rasping bouncer. He looked dazed, completely shaken and not up to it. This is it, even his own admirers whispered. But Ganguly steadied himself and was more than ready for the next bouncer. He went on to make a most extraordinary 83; he may have missed out on the first century of the tour but his knock became the rallying point for India. Since then, of course, Ganguly has got hit in virtually every other match; he has taken blows on his body, on his shoulder and on his elbow too. He flinched almost every time but he didn’t look harried or uncomfortable like he used to earlier; if anything he looked much more determined and eager to keep going. Indeed, he batted much better after each hit.

That, according to people close to him, is his new philosophy: ‘‘It’s better to get hit than to get out.’’ It has worked perfectly for him. More importantly, for the statistically-minded, he is the highest run-getter for India in this series. This second coming, of course, wasn’t easy; it has come after months of immense pain, tribulations and a million doubts. In fact, every single former cricketer and expert was absolutely sure that he was finished as a player; he alone believed that he still had a few days left in him.

So while the Indian team floundered, and the world laughed, he worked hard on his fitness, corrected his thought process and waited for his turn. Three tests later, not only has he proved everybody wrong, he has also scored more runs than anybody else. Now, there is no doubt that he will be back in the One-day side too.

Dada has arrived. He was discarded by his own team, his own friends, and indeed, his country. People laughed at him, and joked about him. But he fought his lonely battle, and he won. That's why, he is my hero.

(Adapted from the Times of India)