'I would choose Sourav Ganguly...': Parthiv Patel on why he has a soft corner for the former India captain

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel expressed his enduring admiration for Sourav Ganguly, selecting the former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and captain over the illustrious Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Patel, who made his debut for India at the age of 17 in 2002, played 15 Test matches and 10 ODIs under Ganguly's captaincy between 2002 and 2004.

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During the 6th Advancement In Endourology Conference At the Forum Convention Centre, Patel spoke about his preference, stating, "Today I would still choose Sourav Ganguly as my captain for sure. We've had a lot of successful captains - Dhoni, Virat Kohli, everyone. But I would still choose Sourav. I think he had time for everyone. Everyone else has been great captains as well. But I would still choose him."

Ganguly was known for his ability to back his players, a trait that left a lasting impression on Patel. Despite acknowledging the greatness of captains like Dhoni and Kohli, Patel emphasized the soft corner he holds for Ganguly as his first skipper.

"Of course, Dhoni's been great. There is no doubt about it. But when your first captain, you always have a soft corner for him. And that's exactly what I have," Patel added.

Parthiv Patel had a successful stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL), winning the title with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2010. He later joined the Mumbai Indians in 2015 and 2017, contributing significantly to their triumphs.

Reflecting on his experiences, Patel also spoke about the difference in styles between Delhi batters Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. He noted that both players are polite, but Kohli's approach, both on and off the field, tends to be slightly more aggressive.

"On the ground and off the ground, Virat is very polite. Gautam is also very polite. But we all love Virat Kohli. The way he celebrates and stuff. He inspires a lot of them. I've played a lot of cricket with Gautam, but I would say Virat's rather slightly more aggressive," Parthiv Patel concluded.




(With inputs from ANI)


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