Former India captain Sourav Ganguly voiced his surprise over the national team's recent white-ball slump, including a significant defeat to England and a series loss to Ireland, but confidently backed the squad to recover, while also discussing the upcoming release of his biopic 'Dada'.
Key Points
- Sourav Ganguly expressed surprise at India's recent white-ball slump, including a 125-run defeat to England and a 0-2 series loss to Ireland.
- Despite the poor form, Ganguly backed the Indian team to bounce back, stating they have quality players and every good team goes through difficult phases.
- Ganguly refused to comment on the controversial omission of Sanju Samson from the playing XI, calling it a 'team management' decision.
- The former captain's 54th birthday celebrations coincided with the official poster launch of his biopic 'Dada', starring Rajkummar Rao, set for a May 2027 release.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday expressed surprise over India's recent white-ball slump but backed the world champions to bounce back, even as he refused to comment on the shocking omission of World Cup-winning star Sanju Samson from the playing XI.
India suffered a crushing 125-run defeat against England at Trent Bridge -- their biggest ever in terms of runs after being bowled out for 76 while chasing 202. The loss leaves India trailing 0-2 in the five-match series.
Shreyas Iyer, who was appointed captain ahead of the UK tour, replacing T20 World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav, is still searching for his first victory as T20I captain after India suffered a humiliating 0-2 series defeat to Ireland, which got the tour off to an ominous start.
Ganguly's Take on India's Performance
"I am a bit surprised by India's performances. They have been such a strong white-ball side, and this appears to be a temporary dip in form," Ganguly told reporters on the sidelines of his 54th birthday celebrations. He, however, backed the team to recover.
"They have not looked at their best, but India have plenty of quality players and I am sure they will bounce back. Their only option now is to level the series. Every good team goes through difficult phases and finds a way to recover."
Sanju Samson's Omission and Biopic Launch
The biggest selection shock came when the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian think tank omitted Samson from the second T20I to accommodate teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at the top of the order. When asked about the controversial decision, Ganguly played it safe: "That is a call for the team management (to make). It would not be appropriate for me to comment on it."
The birthday celebrations coincided with the official poster launch of Ganguly's highly-anticipated biopic, titled 'Dada' which is set for a May 14, 2027 release. Starring Rajkummar Rao, the poster features the iconic image of a shirtless Ganguly celebrating on the Lord's balcony after India's historic 2002 NatWest Series final victory.
"The poster has just been launched. I hope everyone watches the film when it releases next year," Ganguly said.
Birthday Celebrations
Earlier, Ganguly celebrated his 54th birthday with a midnight cake-cutting ceremony at his home. While the celebrations were low-key, he connected via video call with his daughter, Sana, who is currently in Barcelona.
"So many people have reached out, through phone calls, messages, and tweets. I would like to thank everyone for the love and respect they have shown me," Ganguly said. "Sana is in Barcelona and we are speaking over video call. When she is around, there is usually a bigger celebration; otherwise, it is a low-key affair at home."
