Sourav Ganguly used to make everyone feel good with Marigold biscuits, reveals Parthiv Patel

With the recent turmoil in Indian captaincy that has seen over seven men lead the team over the course of the last 12 months, one is bound to remember the times of legendary leaders like Sourav Ganguly. The Bengal tiger, as he was fondly called, was instrumental in establishing India's reputation as a world beater and was the country's pioneer in approaching games with a clinical winning mindset. His ice-cold mentality meant he would end up as one of the most successful captains in history for the Men in Blue, sitting third on the all-time list for victories as captain in both Tests and ODIs.

However, perhaps what was even more impressive about the flamboyant leader was his loyalty to his teammates and the ability to inspire them. Ganguly was one of the first Indian captains to give players the freedom to fail while expressing themselves, asserting time and again that a player needs backing from the team to be able to play to his potential. Over his career, he made crucial decisions such as making Virender Sehwag an opener and convincing Rahul Dravid to take up the wicket-keeping gloves that would ultimately bring huge success to the nation.

Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel, who made his international debut under 'Dada', has revealed the ways in which Ganguly would ensure his players were in a positive frame of mind. 

"If our day wasn't going too well, or the game did not go well, he used to make everyone feel good. He always used to carry Marigold biscuits along with him and handed them out to everybody," he stated in an audio chatroom session of 'CricChat Powered by Parimatch' on the Sharechat app as per Hindustan Times.

Nevertheless, the baton of Indian captaincy presently lies in the hand of Rohit Sharma and his first big task awaits in a little over two months'  time. The 35-year-old will make his debut as skipper at an ICC event at the World T20 in Australia after Virat Kohli stepped down from the post last year. The subcontinent side had exited in the Super 12 stage itself in 2021 and will be hoping for a marked improvement by going all the way for the time in 15 years. However, they are expected to face a stern challenge in the form of hosts and reigning champions Australia. 

"The selection of the right team will determine the result for India. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have a big responsibility to come up with the best combination for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Australia could give a tough competition to India since the team seems strong. Even England and South Africa have improved their games as compared to the last World Cup, but Australia looks like a much stronger contender," opined Patel.