Virender Sehwag wished Sourav Ganguly on his 54th birthday by recalling the iconic Lord's shirt-waving celebration, while praising the former India captain's fearless leadership and lasting influence on Indian cricket.
Key Points
- Sehwag wished Sourav Ganguly on his 54th birthday, recalling the iconic shirt-waving celebration at Lord's in 2002.
- Ganguly's leadership transformed Indian cricket after the match-fixing scandal and built a fearless, competitive team.
- The former captain also played a key role in backing several young players who later became India's match-winners.
Virender Sehwag paid a heartfelt tribute to former India captain Sourav Ganguly on his 54th birthday on Wednesday, recalling the famous shirt-waving celebration at Lord's that remains one of the most memorable moments in Indian cricket.
In a post on X, Sehwag praised Ganguly's fearless leadership and remembered the celebration after India's dramatic victory over England in the 2002 NatWest Series final.
"There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who wear shirts. And those who take off their shirt and make history. That day, the whole of India felt it--yes, brother, now we're in it too. Happy Birthday, Dada @SGanguly99. That Lord's balcony is still open today. #HappyBirthdayDada," Sehwag wrote.
Ganguly removed his shirt and waved it from the Lord's balcony after India successfully chased 326 to beat England in the final. Mohammad Kaif remained unbeaten on 87, while Yuvraj Singh scored 69 as India recovered from a difficult position to pull off a memorable win.
The celebration was widely seen as a response to former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who had celebrated by taking off his shirt after England drew an ODI series in Mumbai earlier that year.
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Ganguly's Legacy Continues to Inspire
Ganguly's impact on Indian cricket went far beyond that famous moment. He took over as captain during a difficult period following the match-fixing scandal and changed the team's approach by encouraging aggressive cricket, self-belief and success in overseas conditions.
Known as the "God of Offside" for his elegant batting through the covers, Ganguly scored 18,575 international runs in 424 matches, including 38 centuries and 107 half-centuries.
He made 7,212 runs in 113 Tests and 11,363 runs in 311 One-Day Internationals.
As captain, Ganguly led India in 196 international matches and won 97 of them. His tenure included India's memorable 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory over Australia, the country's first Test series win in Pakistan in 2004, and appearances in the finals of the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy and the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.
He also played a major role in developing the next generation of Indian cricketers by backing young talents such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag, many of whom went on to become key players in India's success.
More than two decades after the Lord's celebration, Ganguly's leadership and contribution to Indian cricket continue to be remembered, with Sehwag's birthday message serving as another tribute to the former captain's lasting legacy.
