I have been BCCI, CAB president, will go on to do bigger things in future: Sourav Ganguly

Outgoing Indian cricket board (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday, October 13.

That the best days of his life were his playing days and that he would go on to do bigger things after the end of his tenure as the chief of the world’s richest cricket body.

Speaking at a promotional event in Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly recalled the highs and lows of his decorated playing career, saying he is happy that he was able to have a lasting impact on Indian cricket with his stint as the captain of the senior national team. Ganguly said he enjoyed every day of his career, having been through several ups and downs in one of the most storied phases of Indian cricket.

Ganguly’s comments come even as the former India captain is all set to be replaced as the BCCI president by World Cup winner Roger Binny. The former India all-rounder is all set to be elected unopposed as the president of the BCCI ahead of the board’s Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled for October 18. Jay Shah, meanwhile, is all set to retain his post as the secretary of the BCCI.

Ganguly and Shah were elected unopposed as the president and the secretary of the board, respectively in November 2019 after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators’ stint of overseeing the board administration came to an end.

“These were great moments, whatever you do in life, I keep telling everyone, the best days were when you played for your country. I have seen so much after that, I have been president of the CAB, I have been president of the BCCI, and I will go on to do bigger things in the future, but those 15 years will be the best days of my life,” Ganguly said.

“Those were the days when I woke up every morning to be successful. When you left the hotel, you thought it was an important day for me, ‘if I don’t score, I may not be picked again’. But at the end of the day, when you went on to score a hundred, you felt the world is the best place to be in because you have been successful,” he added.

Ganguly, according to the news agency PTI, wanted to continue as the BCCI president and was part of meetings with the top brass of the board in New Delhi until last week. He was even offered the role of IPL chairman but Ganguly did not take it up, adding he wouldn’t want to lead a sub-committee of the board after heading the world’s richest body over the last 3 years, the report added.

TAKE SMALL STEPS
Meanwhile, the former India captain also highlighted the importance of taking it one day at time, saying the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Narendra Modi did not become who they are without working hard over a period of time.

“My mindset in the debut game at Lord’s is my best. I just tried my best there. My target was to get 10 runs at a time. It kept my concentration going. Everyone has to take those small steps to go long. You have to do it day after day, month after month. And if you look for quick success, it is not going to happen. That won’t happen. You don’t become a Sachin Tendulkar in one day. You don’t become Narendra Modi in one day,” Ganguly added.

“Life is all about faith in yourself. Everyone gets tested. Everyone get rewarded and everyone gets rejected as well. But what remains constant is faith in yourself,” Ganguly added.