When Sourav Ganguly led Team India to an improbable series victory against Steve Waugh’s Australia at home back in 2001, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the most powerful weapon in his arsenal. The turbunator snared 32 wickets in the series to nullify Australia’s ‘invincible’ tag and herald a new era in the world of cricket. It isn’t unknown that Harbhajan has, since then, worshipped Ganguly for making him more lethal as a bowler and taste stupendous success at the international level for several years to follow.
Naturally, Bhajji is over the moon with news of Ganguly taking over the reins of the Board of Control for Cricket in India after a tumultuous period of 33 months. In a tête-à-tête with Sanjib Guha, Bhajji – the owner of 417 Test scalps and 269 ODI wickets – shares his thoughts at Ganguly’s new role with Orissa POST, a day after Dada pulled off the coup to be the president-elect following a high-voltage drama in Mumbai late Sunday evening.
Excerpts:
Your reaction on Dada being the BCCI president…
I am really happy that Dada has been elected the president of BCCI unopposed. He has it in him to lead the board too.
How can Indian cricket benefit from Ganguly taking over as the board chief?
Indian cricket can benefit in multiple ways. Dada is a born leader.
Can you elaborate on how his leadership skills can come handy in the administrative set-up?
Yes…When he took charge of the Indian team back in 2001, that time Indian cricket was not in the right sort of frame. There were match-fixing scandals and immediately after that he took over and showed everyone how things can be done.
What about the change in mentality of the team?
The way he led the team from the front, he showed the right mentality. He literally showed us the importance of winning matches abroad. He told us the important things that needed to be done.
Do you expect him to play a similar role as administrator?
I hope… I hope he leads the same way in the BCCI as he led us to become world beaters. I also hope that if he leads the BCCI in the same way, then Indian cricket will be on a next level.
Did you speak to him after the development?
No, I haven’t spoken to him. I congratulated him via message and he replied saying “thank you”.
How do you expect Ganguly to do on a different pitch?
First, it is good to see that a cricketer has donned the hat of BCCI president. Second, knowing him from close quarters, I can say with certainty that he will do a great job. He will set the right examples for others to follow in order to take Indian cricket forward.
Last, but not the least, his tenure now is only for 10 months…
Ten months is long enough to set right examples. Obviously he has done a lot of hard work to reach this level and he won’t let it go. I wish him all the luck. I hope he takes Indian cricket to a different level altogether.