Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy made India tough team, admits Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain credited Sourav Ganguly for changing India's attitude
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Nasser Hussain has revealed that before Sourav Ganguly was made India’s captain, the team was a very polite team before turning into a tough one during Ganguly’s captaincy. On top of that, Hussain credited KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as his top three batsmen that he looks forward to.
India’s tri-series victory against England came in the 2002 Natwest series, under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly against Nasser Hussain’s English team. Just after the victory, Ganguly pulled off one of the craziest celebrations in World cricket, when he started swinging his jersey. Looking back, Hussain admitted that Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy made the Indian team, a tough one. He added that before the southpaw’s debut, the Indian team was made of nice guys, who were nice and pleasant, contrary to the aggressive stature afterwards.Â
"Before Sourav, India was a nice team, great players, Azhar, Javagal Srinath, they had some fantastic players, but before Sourav, they were a nice team. Very sort of 'good morning, how you doing', you know a bit like you Harsha to be honest (light-hearted tone), very nice (and) pleasant,” he told Cricbuzz.Â
“Ganguly made them a tough team. Waiting for the toss for Ganguly, it is half past 10, 10.31 in England, 'where is Ganguly'? Steve Waugh, me, everyone (light-hearted tone).”
Talking about the current generation of Indian cricketers, the 52-year-old revealed that the trio - Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are his favourite cricketers. Interestingly just like all of us, the former English skipper admitted that he would wait to watch Kohli chase.Â
"I mean there are a lot, (among Indians) two of them are very obvious. Virat Kohli, if there is a run chase on, wherever I'm in the world, I would be broadcasting somewhere else, West Indies or something, a word would come that India are chasing 300, and I will be looking Kohli 60 not out, Kohli 70 not out and it is almost like setting an alarm clock, Kohli 130, India win,” he added.Â
On the other hand, he also questioned the Indian team management for not picking Rohit Sharma in the Test series against South Africa in 2019.Â
"I sent a tweet out when India were in South Africa, I think they left out Rohit, I said, "if Rohit isn't a Test match player, I'm watching a different game of cricket", because Rohit should be able to crack Test match cricket. And the way Rohit has gone recently, long may it continue."
