Sourav Ganguly’s viral cricket heroics tufani ganguly reminds fans of vintage Dada

For a generation of Indian cricket fans, Sourav Ganguly was never just a captain or a stylish left-handed batsman. It was a feeling. He was the face of a fearless India at a time when Indian cricket was still learning how to stand overseas. For every child of the 90s who rushed home from school to watch cricket, Ganguly became a part of childhood memories, the raised collar, the easy cover drives, the sixes over extra cover and most of all the fire in his eyes every time India stepped on the field.

He made the Indian fans believe that their team no longer needed to play with fear. Under Gangula, India stopped looking intimidated overseas and started to fight back. This attitude resonated deeply with an entire generation that grew up watching his leadership from the front.

So when a recent video of Ganguly’s cricket in the gorge started doing the rounds on social media, fans couldn’t help but smile. For a few minutes, time actually seemed to go backwards. At 53, Ganguly looked right at home with bat in hand during a local cricket match organized by Instagram page Gully Crickett. The former India captain smashed 132 runs off just 68 balls, but more than the score, it was the way he batted that got the fans emotional.

The site, which has built a huge following through entertaining street cricket content, has previously worked with names like Tim David, Rinku Singh, Romario Shepherd and Kevin Pietersen. But Ganguly’s appearance was different. This was the nostalgia that hit Indian cricket fans in the best possible way.

The moment he started coming down the pitch and pulling the spinners clear over the boundary, it felt like the old days had returned. His offside timing, the ease with which he picked gaps and the calm authority he carried in the box reminded fans of the player they grew up watching every night after school on TV.

The video quickly went viral on social media, with fans talking about how Ganguly’s batting instantly took them back to the early 20th century, when Indian cricket began to change under his leadership. For many, Ganguly was the first captain who made India look fearless overseas. He did not hesitate to support the young players and brought some toughness to the team that the fans were desperate to see.

There was also humor and nostalgia during the game itself. Before the innings began, several players reminded Ganguly of this the famous 131 he scored on his Test debut at Lord’s in 1996 and jokingly asked him what score he planned to make this time. Ganguly smiled and ended up on 132, which was little better than that iconic innings.

Ironically, the knock didn’t start smoothly. The very first delivery beat him outside off stump and the fielders celebrated loudly. But it took barely a few balls for the rhythm to return. Once Ganguly settled in, the shots started to flow naturally.

He brought up his half-century in just 33 deliveries and looked completely untroubled against the bowlers. Even though he got two layoffs during the inning, he never felt like he was slowing down. The confidence only grew as the innings progressed.

By the time he reached his century in just 58 balls, everyone around the ground seemed to be enjoying the moment as much as he was. At one stage, the keeper jokingly asked Ganguly to recreate the famous Lord’s shirt celebration after reaching a hundred, leaving everyone laughing.

What made the clip even more enjoyable was Ganguly’s energy throughout the game. He was constantly chatting with the bowlers and fielders, throwing playful sledges at them and laughing between deliveries. It brought back memories of the fiery, animated captain Indian fans once loved to watch lead the side.

The innings eventually ended on 132 when he fell short by one, but then the result hardly mattered. The clip has already become a nostalgia trip for millions of fans online.

Ganguly represents a special phase in Indian cricket. He was the captain who gave opportunities to players like Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan long before they became stars. He changed the attitude towards Indian cricket and made the fans believe that the team could compete anywhere in the world.

Seeing him bat again in a simple cricket match in the gully reminded the fans why he still means so much to Indian cricket. For a few minutes, he felt as if his childhood memories had come alive again.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

22 May 2026 18:37 IST

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