'Tendulkar sane, Sehwag insane': Ganguly opens up on his cricket career

Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly on Friday (November 11) said he enjoyed opening the batting with Sachin Tendulkar more than he did with Virender Sehwag, as Sachin made him a better player.

He was speaking at realtors’ apex body CREDAI’s annual conference NATCON 2022 held in Abu Dhabi.

Also read: India played ‘very badly’, deserved to lose: Shoaib Akhtar

Ganguly was asked, between Sachin and Sehwag, who he enjoyed opening the innings more with.

“Sachin was the most sane one and Sehwag was insane. So it’s Sachin. He actually also made me a better player,” he said. “Sachin actually got me lift my game.”

To another question, of which living person he admired the most, Ganguly again chose to name the little master.

Podcast: Why India failed to cross T20 World Cup sem-final hurdle

“Sachin. He was special and I have seen him up close. I have seen him get hit in the rib cage. Did not make a noise. Got runs. The next morning he had a double fracture in his ribs.

“I heard a sound and I went and asked him you are okay. He said he was fine. The next morning he had fractures. He was special,” he said.

On what was more challenging – Tests in Australia or Tests in England, he said Australia.

Asked to choose between what role he prefers to be in, captain of India and BCCI President, Ganguly chose to go with the cricket team.

When asked to choose between India’s win in the Kolkata Test in 2001 at home or India’s win at Lords in Natwest Cup final in 2002, he said: “2001 win at home as it changed the team. It changed the belief in the team.”

Ganguly named Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, especially as he was getting on in age, as someone who gave him nightmares.

“The older he became, the better he became. I found Murali the hardest when he was older,” Ganguly said.

Also, Ganguly spoke at length about leadership and said it is important to listen to others.

“It’s not my way or highway,” he said and cited several examples.

Having been in several leadership positions, he also talked about the importance of having an eye to find the right talent and giving it adequate opportunity. “You create an atmosphere to express themselves.”

As a piece of advice, he suggested that one should retire from the game on a high.

On how to handle pressure, Ganguly said it was all about training the mind.

(With agency inputs)