‘It’ll be a waste if Dada doesn’t get more than 10 months as BCCI chief,’ Gautam Gambhir on Sourav Ganguly

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir hoped that Sourav Ganguly gets more than just 10 months as president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Gambhir joined the list of former India cricketers who congratulated Ganguly who is set to be elected as the new president of BCCI on October 23.

“I don’t know how it happened and I am not keen on knowing it either. I am just glad that Indian cricket will be headed by someone who understands the eco-system. But I just hope that Dada gets more than 10 months to perform otherwise it will be a wasted exercise,” Gambhir wrote in his column for Times of India.

Gambhir also pointed out that Ganguly’s five-year stint as the president of Cricket Association will come in handy when he takes guard as the chief of Indian cricket.

“The changes he has brought about at Cricket Association of Bengal is a clear indication that Dada is not merely a former cricketer who’d bring on-field changes. His administrative skills will be tested but if I know Dada well, his ability of inclusive growth will hold him in good stead,” Gambhir wrote.

Ever since the news of Ganguly being chosen as the next BCCI broke, lot of former India cricketers including Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh. Gambhir believed, all those cricketers and also the ones in the BCCI office should come forward and help Ganguly in his endeavour.

“I’d also hope that he gets support from those who are taking turns to congratulate Dada. As a cricketer, he could achieve results because he had support from within the dressing room and also from BCCI board room. Things would have been challenging for Dada without the support of the late Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya. While he and then coach John Wright groomed guys like Sehwag, Nehra, Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Zaheer, Dada was also lucky to have all-out support from Dravid, Kumble, Tendulkar and Laxman. He’d need similar support now again from the BCCI bigwigs who know where the landmines are. Trust me, the world will be watching Indian cricket with even more interest from now on,’ Gambhir added.