Sourav Ganguly Visits Durga Puja Pandal in Howrah, Draws Crowd of Enthusiastic Fans

On Sunday, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly made an appearance at a Durga Puja pandal in Howrah, West Bengal, attracting a large gathering of fans eager to catch a glimpse of the cricket icon. Ganguly, celebrated for his leadership approach on the cricket field, offered prayers during the visit.

The Durga Puja, also referred to as Durgotsava, is a major Hindu festival revered annually in honor of Goddess Durga. It epitomizes the victory of good over evil, symbolizing the goddess’s defeat of the demon Mahishasura. Generally, the festival spans ten days, known as Navaratri, with the most significant celebrations occurring over the last four days: Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Vijayadashami.

Ganguly’s notable cricket career is marked by several achievements, including his impressive debut in the summer of 1996 against England. Earning the nickname ‘Dada‘, he made headlines by securing a century in his first Test at Lord's and scoring another in the subsequent Test. This accomplishment made him the third batsman in history to score a century in each of his first two innings.

In 2000, during a tumultuous period following a match-fixing scandal involving the Indian team, Ganguly was appointed as the captain. He played a pivotal role in nurturing new talent and led India to various significant achievements, including reaching the finals of the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy. Under his captaincy, India also claimed victory against Australia in the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-1 win.

A key proponent of day-night Test matches, Ganguly was influential in introducing the format in India, culminating in the country’s first day-night Test against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in 2019. As captain, Ganguly led India in 195 matches across all formats, securing 97 wins.

Beyond his cricketing career, Ganguly served as the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and held the position of President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).