'Changed Indian cricket forever': Yuvraj Singh hails Sourav Ganguly on his 53rd birthday

Sourav Ganguly, one of Indian cricket’s most iconic captains, turned 53 on Tuesday, and birthday wishes poured in from several of his former teammates, including Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Suresh Raina. Yuvraj, who flourished under Ganguly’s leadership, took to Instagram to write: “Wishing a very happy birthday to the Dada of Indian cricket who always backed his boys, took on the world and boldly changed Indian cricket forever. Lots of Love always.” Kaif, another trusted member of the early-2000s squad, praised Ganguly’s talent-spotting abilities. “Wishing a very Happy Birthday to the man who had a rare eye for talent and the courage to back it. Thank you Dada for changing Indian cricket forever. So loved, so respected yet so humble,” Kaif wrote on X. Suresh Raina, who debuted in Ganguly’s final years, posted: “Your leadership changed the face of Indian cricket & inspired generations… Thank you for always showing us how to lead with courage and heart.” Ganguly, nicknamed ‘Dada’, made a sensational debut in 1996 with a century at Lord’s, followed by another ton in the next Test — becoming just the third batter to score hundreds in each of his first two innings. As captain from 2000, he revived Indian cricket post the match-fixing crisis, taking the team to the 2000 ICC Knockout final, 2001 series win over Australia, 2002 NatWest Trophy triumph and the 2003 World Cup final. Across 113 Tests, Ganguly scored 7,212 runs; in 311 ODIs, he amassed 11,363 runs. He is among India’s highest run-getters in both formats and one of its most successful captains — winning 21 Tests and 76 ODIs.