AN INSPIRATIONAL CAPTAIN

As the Indian team recovers from yet another embarrassing defeat at the hands of England, and several fingers pointing at M.S.Dhoni, I can’t help but think of the days when Sourav Ganguly was the captain of the Indian side. Several comparisons have been made between the two, with many claiming that Dhoni is a better leader than Sourav. That, however, was until 2011, when Dhoni was still quite a stranger to defeat. Following the 2011 World Cup win, however, luck seems to have deserted him. He is no longer the old, confident skipper who inspired his team to fight till the end. Dhoni seems to be a shell of his former self. He seems to have lost that magical touch that made him such a charismatic and inspirational leader. He is clueless on the field and his field settings indicate a negative mindset. He seems to be defending rather than attacking.

This is where the difference between Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly seems to become very evident. Sourav was never negative. Sure, he too knew what it was like to lose. But, his will never left him. Defeat did not steal away his confidence. It did not change his mindset. It did not make him negative. He did not change the way he led his side. Sourav was a fighter through and through. While under attack, he knew of only one form of defence – counter-attack.  The Indian team never had a reputation of being a fighting team. That was until the arrival of Ganguly in the captaincy scene. Ganguly took over the captaincy of the Indian cricket team in 2000, at a time when Indian cricket was marred by several controversies, including match-fixing scandals. The team lacked experience and there weren’t many who really stood out in terms of talent.  He had a raw team, which he moulded into a good one, which is a sign of a great leader. He had excellent man-management skills and is known to have nurtured the careers of several young players. Sourav was known to constantly speak in the field. He kept speaking words of encouragement. He was an active captain who kept himself involved in the game and was constantly seen to be making changes in the field.  He made things happen and did not wait for them to happen – again, signs of a great leader.

Ganguly was heavily criticised throughout his career for his arrogance and aggression.  Since a young age, he had had a reputation for being proud and arrogant, showing signs of aggression that were considered abnormal or unusual of an Indian cricketer. However, it was this aggression of his that eventually helped him cement his legacy as India’s most successful captain ever. Ganguly’s pride was evident even during his early days when, as a youngster in the Indian team, he was once asked to carry his senior’s bag to the dressing room. A proud Ganguly refused to carry out the task, saying that he was there to represent his country and play cricket and not do menial jobs. He knew what he wanted. He knew his purpose and goal. He was very clear and bland in his views and did not give in to any pressure. He did not care what opinion others held about him. He did what he considered to be the best.

Sourav was also known to be a man of immense self-confidence.  In a particular game, while his team was defending a rather low total, the opposition needed just a few runs off the final over to win the match. The over was being bowled by a specialist fast bowler. After the first couple of deliveries, Sourav walked up to the bowler and asked him to leave the field, citing injury as the reason to the umpire. The bowler did as told, and Ganguly, a batsman, took the ball in his own hands and bowled his team to victory. It was this self-confidence that translated itself so effectively into success. He created the same self-belief in his team as well.

Dhoni, in his initial days as captain, did seem to possess similar qualities. But, he has been taken aback by defeat. He has changed his approach. He has become rather listless and seems to be totally cut-off, waiting for something magical to happen. Sourav never did that. He continued to believe in himself and his team. He continued to inspire and continued to lead from the front and show the rest of the team the way. He was a truly inspirational captain....