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A Century is Not Enough
In this part self-development manual, part memoir, Sourav Ganguly takes you through his life. From his difficult debut in Australia to the highs of the Lord’s century, from beating Pakistan on its home ground to the vindictiveness of Chappell – he looks at how to overcome life’s challenges and come out a winner. Time and time again. Honest, straightforward and deeply moving, A Century Is Not Enough is both a sporting classic and a manual for living. ‘Has much from Ganguly’s glorious cricketing career that not many would know’ DNA India ‘Leadership manual from a hugely successful sporting legend’ Financial Express
296 pages, paperback
First published February 24, 2018
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January 6, 2019
Book Review: 'A Century is Not Enough' by Sourav Ganguly
An unstructured, ordinarily written, patchy and disappointing read.
I won’t say I had high expectations from Sourav Ganguly’s autobiography. Having followed his career minutely and observed him as a cricketer, I knew what the tone of the book would be like. But I was still interested in it as I was once a huge Ganguly fan.
Autobiographies of Indian cricketers haven’t really been great of late, including Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Playing It My way’. Despite that, with Ganguly's book, I was expecting some great insights into the mind of a fighter and a leader.
Unfortunately, what I got was a mixed bag; mildly good in parts but disappointing overall. What’s worse is that it’s not even well written. More on that later.
Sourav Ganguly’s contribution towards Indian cricket is immense. He was one of best ODI batsmen of his time and became a great leader who molded Indian cricket in the right direction during a very tough period. It was under Sourav Ganguly’s leadership that a new, fearless Indian team emerged.
But…These are the things I already know about. I didn’t need another book to tell me this. What I wanted to know more was about Sourav Ganguly, the person. I wanted to get a peek of his formative years; his childhood in Kolkata, his school days and how the game caught his fancy. I also wanted a detailed view into his mind as a captain.
As a player, Ganguly was aggressive and never shied away from giving it back. But what I got in this book is incessant ramblings of a person who thinks he was wronged through most of his career and the world was out to get him. That he was the eternal victim who did everything right. Always.
Ganguly starts with his last day in international cricket – at Nagpur against Australia, 2008. From there we move on straight to his first ODI match in 1992. The chapter on his debut tour in Australia is interesting and it is the only one where he accepts his flaws and sacking gracefully.
We then move straightaway to his memorable debut Test match at Lord’s against England in 1996. There is hardly any mention of what Ganguly did in the intervening years and how he prepared himself mentally with the failure. And like I said, there is no mention of his boyhood cricket-playing days which I feel is a huge miss.
From there on, Ganguly reflects on the well-known events of his career – his performance against Pakistan at Toronto in 1997, his 183 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup, his elevation to captaincy, the 2001 Eden Test against Australia and the 2002 Natwest Tri-series win against England.
All these events are glossed over, punctuated with some anecdote here and there. I was incredibly disappointed that the 2001 Test series against Australia and the 2003 World Cup in South Africa – Ganguly’s biggest moments as a captain – are finished in a few paras. Hell, the 2001 Eden Test itself, with all its remarkable ebbs and flows, deserved a separate chapter. It’s a cardinal omission, in my view!
After this, there are pages upon pages on his strained equations with Australian coach Greg Chappell and how he was this evil monster. Ganguly goes on to highlight how Greg was ‘out to get him’ along with a few selectors. In fact, during the second half of the book it felt like the motive behind writing this book was to call out all those who had wronged him.
Throughout the book, Ganguly frequently projects himself as the victim and overglorifies his feats as a captain and batsman while completely overlooking his deficiencies.
For instance, he claims that the 2004 Test series victory in Pakistan was his biggest moment as a captain but casually ignores to mention the fact that Rahul Dravid was the stand-in captain in one of the Tests. He takes great pride in talking about his hundreds scored against Wasim Akram and Glen McGrath, as he should. But then, when he talks loftily about the drawn series against Australia in 2004, he fails to state that it didn’t feature the likes of Glen McGrath and Shane Warne in it. Shockingly, Ganguly completely ignores talking about the 2004 home Test series loss to Australia. How can his memoir exclude such an important event in his tenure?
Also, while Ganguly rambles on for pages about his sudden removal from the Indian team, he never, for once, mentions the poor form he had prior to that phase or at any point in his career. He brags about his hundred against Zimbabwe in 2005 before he was dropped, but never talks about the fact that he had scores of 21, 12, 12, 1 and 2 prior to that innings.
In fact, Ganguly also states how he was literally ‘forced’ to appear for an advertisement for Pepsi after his removal from the side where he had to say the lines ‘Mera Naam Sourav Ganguly. Bhule Toh Nahi?” For a man of Ganguly’s aggressive and no-nonsense nature, I find it hard to believe that anyone could twist his arms to do something he wasn’t at all interested in and was, in fact, embarrassed by.
Also missing are any talks about Ganguly’s technical deficiencies that he faced through his career. I was really keen on reading about his frailties against the short ball and his issues on the leg-side. Surely, talking about how he struggled against them and how he managed these chinks in his batting would have only made him appear like a normal sportsperson.
Sanjay Manjerakar’s ‘Imperfect’ was much better that way. At least Sanjay was candid enough to accept his personal and technical flaws in his memoir. With Ganguly, we do not get any of that.
Another issue that bugged me all through the book was the barrage of motivational nuggets he keeps on piling for the readers. And in doing so, Ganguly often produces a motivational story from tales of his wistful struggles and several magnified triumphs in his career. Some of his episodes of struggles were genuine and did serve as an inspiration in itself. But when he followed them up with quotes like “Take the danger head on and never give up” they kind of lost the taste.
Surprisingly, even though the book is co-authored by a senior journalist, it isn’t well written either and there is not a single sentence that I was impressed with in the way it was framed - they are all very mundane and ordinary. It is also riddled with numerous typographical and punctuation errors. A proper quality check was really needed in this one.
What I felt after finishing the book was that Ganguly was on this ego trip. He was one of the most influential cricketers of his time and could have presented an engaging and absorbing view of his life and career and, more importantly, of one of the most consequential phases of Indian cricket through his prism. But that opportunity is squandered as Ganguly disappoints with an overkill of a vainglorious look of himself.
I have a feeling that this book was written in a rush, much like Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Playing It My way’. It appears that Ganguly sat down and chalked out all the things about himself that would present him as a victim and an unrelenting champion, while conveniently ignored some of the more uncomfortable aspects of his career. And that is where this autobiography is incomplete and patchy, while also being unstructured and ordinarily written as a whole.
Ganguly was a fascinating character and people loved him even with his flaws. No one can take away all that he has achieved for Indian cricket. However, I didn’t want a repeat of all the well-known tales about him. I wanted a sincere account of his life and career. While definitely a better read than Sachin’s book, ‘A Century is Not Enough’ left me feeling rather displeased.
I will take a break from reading any modern Indian cricketer’s autobiography now. Tired of being disappointed!
An unstructured, ordinarily written, patchy and disappointing read.
I won’t say I had high expectations from Sourav Ganguly’s autobiography. Having followed his career minutely and observed him as a cricketer, I knew what the tone of the book would be like. But I was still interested in it as I was once a huge Ganguly fan.
Autobiographies of Indian cricketers haven’t really been great of late, including Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Playing It My way’. Despite that, with Ganguly's book, I was expecting some great insights into the mind of a fighter and a leader.
Unfortunately, what I got was a mixed bag; mildly good in parts but disappointing overall. What’s worse is that it’s not even well written. More on that later.
Sourav Ganguly’s contribution towards Indian cricket is immense. He was one of best ODI batsmen of his time and became a great leader who molded Indian cricket in the right direction during a very tough period. It was under Sourav Ganguly’s leadership that a new, fearless Indian team emerged.
But…These are the things I already know about. I didn’t need another book to tell me this. What I wanted to know more was about Sourav Ganguly, the person. I wanted to get a peek of his formative years; his childhood in Kolkata, his school days and how the game caught his fancy. I also wanted a detailed view into his mind as a captain.
As a player, Ganguly was aggressive and never shied away from giving it back. But what I got in this book is incessant ramblings of a person who thinks he was wronged through most of his career and the world was out to get him. That he was the eternal victim who did everything right. Always.
Ganguly starts with his last day in international cricket – at Nagpur against Australia, 2008. From there we move on straight to his first ODI match in 1992. The chapter on his debut tour in Australia is interesting and it is the only one where he accepts his flaws and sacking gracefully.
We then move straightaway to his memorable debut Test match at Lord’s against England in 1996. There is hardly any mention of what Ganguly did in the intervening years and how he prepared himself mentally with the failure. And like I said, there is no mention of his boyhood cricket-playing days which I feel is a huge miss.
From there on, Ganguly reflects on the well-known events of his career – his performance against Pakistan at Toronto in 1997, his 183 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup, his elevation to captaincy, the 2001 Eden Test against Australia and the 2002 Natwest Tri-series win against England.
All these events are glossed over, punctuated with some anecdote here and there. I was incredibly disappointed that the 2001 Test series against Australia and the 2003 World Cup in South Africa – Ganguly’s biggest moments as a captain – are finished in a few paras. Hell, the 2001 Eden Test itself, with all its remarkable ebbs and flows, deserved a separate chapter. It’s a cardinal omission, in my view!
After this, there are pages upon pages on his strained equations with Australian coach Greg Chappell and how he was this evil monster. Ganguly goes on to highlight how Greg was ‘out to get him’ along with a few selectors. In fact, during the second half of the book it felt like the motive behind writing this book was to call out all those who had wronged him.
Throughout the book, Ganguly frequently projects himself as the victim and overglorifies his feats as a captain and batsman while completely overlooking his deficiencies.
For instance, he claims that the 2004 Test series victory in Pakistan was his biggest moment as a captain but casually ignores to mention the fact that Rahul Dravid was the stand-in captain in one of the Tests. He takes great pride in talking about his hundreds scored against Wasim Akram and Glen McGrath, as he should. But then, when he talks loftily about the drawn series against Australia in 2004, he fails to state that it didn’t feature the likes of Glen McGrath and Shane Warne in it. Shockingly, Ganguly completely ignores talking about the 2004 home Test series loss to Australia. How can his memoir exclude such an important event in his tenure?
Also, while Ganguly rambles on for pages about his sudden removal from the Indian team, he never, for once, mentions the poor form he had prior to that phase or at any point in his career. He brags about his hundred against Zimbabwe in 2005 before he was dropped, but never talks about the fact that he had scores of 21, 12, 12, 1 and 2 prior to that innings.
In fact, Ganguly also states how he was literally ‘forced’ to appear for an advertisement for Pepsi after his removal from the side where he had to say the lines ‘Mera Naam Sourav Ganguly. Bhule Toh Nahi?” For a man of Ganguly’s aggressive and no-nonsense nature, I find it hard to believe that anyone could twist his arms to do something he wasn’t at all interested in and was, in fact, embarrassed by.
Also missing are any talks about Ganguly’s technical deficiencies that he faced through his career. I was really keen on reading about his frailties against the short ball and his issues on the leg-side. Surely, talking about how he struggled against them and how he managed these chinks in his batting would have only made him appear like a normal sportsperson.
Sanjay Manjerakar’s ‘Imperfect’ was much better that way. At least Sanjay was candid enough to accept his personal and technical flaws in his memoir. With Ganguly, we do not get any of that.
Another issue that bugged me all through the book was the barrage of motivational nuggets he keeps on piling for the readers. And in doing so, Ganguly often produces a motivational story from tales of his wistful struggles and several magnified triumphs in his career. Some of his episodes of struggles were genuine and did serve as an inspiration in itself. But when he followed them up with quotes like “Take the danger head on and never give up” they kind of lost the taste.
Surprisingly, even though the book is co-authored by a senior journalist, it isn’t well written either and there is not a single sentence that I was impressed with in the way it was framed - they are all very mundane and ordinary. It is also riddled with numerous typographical and punctuation errors. A proper quality check was really needed in this one.
What I felt after finishing the book was that Ganguly was on this ego trip. He was one of the most influential cricketers of his time and could have presented an engaging and absorbing view of his life and career and, more importantly, of one of the most consequential phases of Indian cricket through his prism. But that opportunity is squandered as Ganguly disappoints with an overkill of a vainglorious look of himself.
I have a feeling that this book was written in a rush, much like Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Playing It My way’. It appears that Ganguly sat down and chalked out all the things about himself that would present him as a victim and an unrelenting champion, while conveniently ignored some of the more uncomfortable aspects of his career. And that is where this autobiography is incomplete and patchy, while also being unstructured and ordinarily written as a whole.
Ganguly was a fascinating character and people loved him even with his flaws. No one can take away all that he has achieved for Indian cricket. However, I didn’t want a repeat of all the well-known tales about him. I wanted a sincere account of his life and career. While definitely a better read than Sachin’s book, ‘A Century is Not Enough’ left me feeling rather displeased.
I will take a break from reading any modern Indian cricketer’s autobiography now. Tired of being disappointed!
August 5, 2019
Lot of things came together to make it so that as Ganguly started his career I also started watching regular cricket and I would forever be grateful for his contribution towards transforming the Indian Cricket Team and giving some many wonderful performances, and I was even able to see his century live in Gwalior with my Mom and brother. Well so of course I had to get the book when I saw this so I got it and I read it. It was a nice read and unlike others I didn't feel that the book was written poorly but it was written nicely enough. Like the recent autobiographies from Indian cricketers this one is also on the leaner end with only about 260 pages. As you all my might have noticed already I now tend to shuffle between multiple books and also what with being busy with photography it took me a little longer to finish than it should have.
Coming to the book the tone of the book I agree is preachy with Dada directly talking to young cricketers and normal chums like me or you "Life Lessons" as he liked to call them. As I said that lot of things came together to make it so that I have seen most of the matches or least kept track of them and it was easy as just like it to bring back the memories of the matches or innings mentioned in the book.
So in the end don't let the positive reviews sway you nor let the negative reviews scare you away from this book, give it a chance and see for yourself if you like this life story or not, in any case read this or not just remember to Keep on Reading.
Coming to the book the tone of the book I agree is preachy with Dada directly talking to young cricketers and normal chums like me or you "Life Lessons" as he liked to call them. As I said that lot of things came together to make it so that I have seen most of the matches or least kept track of them and it was easy as just like it to bring back the memories of the matches or innings mentioned in the book.
So in the end don't let the positive reviews sway you nor let the negative reviews scare you away from this book, give it a chance and see for yourself if you like this life story or not, in any case read this or not just remember to Keep on Reading.
June 21, 2020
What to say about this legend. As an ardent followers of cricket and passionate about playing cricket. This book was kinda nostalgia for me. I still cant believe he left International cricket in 2008.
February 27, 2018
Read this memoir (on the first day of its release) because I expected Ganguly to be candid - and he didn't disappoint. The book's narrative style is conversational and was engaging enough for me to finish it in one reading session. This autobiography isn't an end-to-end description of his personal life and focuses instead on the key episodes in his life that are likely to interest readers more (e.g. Greg Chappell, comeback to Indian team etc). Consequently, the book ends up deflecting other cricketing incidents of that era where Ganguly wasn't the centrepiece of the story (e.g. match-fixing gets only one para in the book). Overall, it's a no-brainer for Dada fans or cricket enthusiasts to read this because of the sheer nostalgia turning the pages puts you through. Those who aren't as passionate about the sport can give this century a miss.
March 14, 2018
Rating - I find it unfair to rate autobiographies. I mean how can we rate how a person has lived their life
At the outset, this book was purely picked up by me because I am a crazy supporter of Dada.. I use the word supporter because I always used to believe that he deserved to make a come back and treated better than the way he was treated by people around him.
This book is really well written. You can see that the support author has kept his role to a minimal, which is not what I felt when I read Sachin’s autobiography.
The book not just makes you relive some of the glorious moments in Indian cricket history during the late 90s and 2000s ( golden period) but is a treasure trove on leadership. The best part is it does not portray Dada as some flawless larger than life captain but a guy who went through a lot as a captain and shows how much work goes into being a leader of men.
I would refer this book to anybody who wants to learn about leadership and how leaders are not just born but are made through self learning and self sacrifice.
Dada is the architect of what we are today as a cricket team. Dada influenced the way my generation looked at life, we saw him being aggressive and winning and we realised we could do it too. Don’t forget, he had this influence because ,during his career, cricket was the one and all there was in terms of sports in India. And sports does build a generation.
Thank you Dada for your service to the game and the endless smiles you brought us!!
Highly recommended to everybody who has religiously followed Indian cricket in the last 20 years
At the outset, this book was purely picked up by me because I am a crazy supporter of Dada.. I use the word supporter because I always used to believe that he deserved to make a come back and treated better than the way he was treated by people around him.
This book is really well written. You can see that the support author has kept his role to a minimal, which is not what I felt when I read Sachin’s autobiography.
The book not just makes you relive some of the glorious moments in Indian cricket history during the late 90s and 2000s ( golden period) but is a treasure trove on leadership. The best part is it does not portray Dada as some flawless larger than life captain but a guy who went through a lot as a captain and shows how much work goes into being a leader of men.
I would refer this book to anybody who wants to learn about leadership and how leaders are not just born but are made through self learning and self sacrifice.
Dada is the architect of what we are today as a cricket team. Dada influenced the way my generation looked at life, we saw him being aggressive and winning and we realised we could do it too. Don’t forget, he had this influence because ,during his career, cricket was the one and all there was in terms of sports in India. And sports does build a generation.
Thank you Dada for your service to the game and the endless smiles you brought us!!
Highly recommended to everybody who has religiously followed Indian cricket in the last 20 years
February 25, 2018
A devotee of God, a fan of the wall but a subject in the Maharaj's kingdom means this one gets 5 *. Waves of nostalgia washed over me as I turned the pages. It felt like reading descriptions on a series of motion posters because I could clearly see the images in mind - of the shots that he describes, the flagging of the T-shirts at Lord's, the infamous chat on the field with Dravid and Chappell etc. Enjoyed reading it 😊
March 17, 2018
A great read for Cricket and Sourav Ganguly Fans.. His Nostalgic memoir will take you down a memory lane.. Remind you of all those wins and losses you shared with your family and friends..
The book is an uputdownable page turner.. The writing is frank, conversational and engaging.. Sourav Ganguly has written without mincing his words.. He has shared some chuckle-worthy anecdotes from dressing room..
In short, Indian Cricket Fans shouldn't miss it..
The book is an uputdownable page turner.. The writing is frank, conversational and engaging.. Sourav Ganguly has written without mincing his words.. He has shared some chuckle-worthy anecdotes from dressing room..
In short, Indian Cricket Fans shouldn't miss it..
May 23, 2020
I should confess that I'm a Ganguly fan. For me, cricket started when Ganguly took the charge as Captain of the Indian side. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
December 16, 2024
A good biography but not a great one. First of all it doesn't have enough pages; Sourav Gangly is not just a character, he is a phenomena and hardly 200 pages for that is not sufficient at all. Apart from that even those 200 pages doesn't do justice by skipping or quickly wrapping up few very important things. For example this book is almost completely about Sourav Gangly - The Cricketer, not Sourav Ganguly - The Person. And it's obvious that we know quite a lot about the cricketer Ganguly. It was the later that I was more excited about while starting this book. I think in this regard the last two cricketer's Autobiography I read were much better (Sachin and AB De Villiers's).
None-the-less it doesn't mean that this book is not worth a read, probably my expectation was quite high. Reading this was a good nostalgia, I kind of dived in my childhood again. Watching those innings on YouTube along with reading those chapters was an absolute treat. But as I mentioned earlier there were few instance which were not covered in as much detail as I would have liked to. 2001 kolkata Test, 2003 world cup final and Ganguly's double century in Bangalore are few examples. Above all and most surprisingly his last test and series win against Australia was not even mentioned. I mean he even did the captaincy in last few minutes of that test, it surely worth a page at least.
Overall a decent book but could have been better. 3.5 Star which include 1/2 extra star for the love of DADA.
None-the-less it doesn't mean that this book is not worth a read, probably my expectation was quite high. Reading this was a good nostalgia, I kind of dived in my childhood again. Watching those innings on YouTube along with reading those chapters was an absolute treat. But as I mentioned earlier there were few instance which were not covered in as much detail as I would have liked to. 2001 kolkata Test, 2003 world cup final and Ganguly's double century in Bangalore are few examples. Above all and most surprisingly his last test and series win against Australia was not even mentioned. I mean he even did the captaincy in last few minutes of that test, it surely worth a page at least.
Overall a decent book but could have been better. 3.5 Star which include 1/2 extra star for the love of DADA.
March 11, 2019
A really enjoyable book, the autobiography of one of my most favourite cricketers and arguably the greatest captain Indian team has ever had. I finished reading this book in less than a week. It felt like a flashback of sorts as it took me back to the time when I was very passionate about cricket. If you loved the Indian cricket team of the 1990s and the 2000s, then you'll love this autobiography of Sourav Ganguly.
August 1, 2020
Being an avid fan of Sourav Ganguly and after watching him over the years, this book was a let down.
It felt more like a personal glorification and explanations to certain controversies in his career. After a while it feels more like a pen notes addition and a stats book. This book does not add much more information than what is available on the internet.
My expectation was that it will shed some more light towards how he built the team and the challenges he faced to instill the winning and fighting spirit in the Indian Cricket Team.
It felt more like a personal glorification and explanations to certain controversies in his career. After a while it feels more like a pen notes addition and a stats book. This book does not add much more information than what is available on the internet.
My expectation was that it will shed some more light towards how he built the team and the challenges he faced to instill the winning and fighting spirit in the Indian Cricket Team.
February 27, 2018
'Çonfidence is the only cologne you can wear in the dressing room', 'Darkness always has an expiry date' are some of the Dada-isms that stayed with me at the end of this book. There is a lot of motivational stuff here -- especially for those looking at making at comebacks, not just on the field, but also in life. Some of it is very generic, and some quite contextual.
A Century is Not Enough is a quick read -- covers a large part of Ganguly's career, especially the important developments in his view -- his selection, being dropped from the side and from captaincy, his comeback, retirement, IPL and of course, Greg Chappell. I am fairly satisfied with what he's shared about all these topics -- although I wanted a lot more fireworks between him and Greg, about what REALLY happened.
What he hasn't spoken much about -- and I wish Indian sports memoirs address this -- is the lack of any anecdotes about cricketing strategy and decision-making. As a captain, how did your team build pressure? How did you motivate your boys when the chips were down? What thinking went into your bowling changes? How do you build momentum around a dismissal? Who were the opponents you enjoyed competing against? In some of the pressure cooker matches he'd played, what happened behind the scenes in some key captaincy decisions. If you played alongside four Indian former captains - Azhar, Sachin, Dravid, Kumble --
you played in the golden era of Indian cricket. What were the think-tank conversations like? The book offers barely any insights here -- it would have made for riveting reading. The World Cup final we lost to Australia in 2003 -- he's not opened up about that match at all. What was the road to the final like? (The same problems plagued MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, the film, perhaps one of the worst biopics I've seen.)
By not talking about the team's defeats, his own failures (fitness and sloppy running between the wickets), MS Dhoni's appointment as captain (and the new kind of team Dhoni built) -- this book felt like a lost opportunity. I hope he writes another book about the Dada approach towards captaincy, something that also addresses the ongoing conversations in Indian cricket -- the BCCI, Kohli, Shastri, the Yo-Yo test, etc. This book dwells mostly on his own records and how unfairly he was dropped from the national and IPL sides, and how remarkable his comebacks were. (They were indeed.)
A Century is Not Enough is a quick read -- covers a large part of Ganguly's career, especially the important developments in his view -- his selection, being dropped from the side and from captaincy, his comeback, retirement, IPL and of course, Greg Chappell. I am fairly satisfied with what he's shared about all these topics -- although I wanted a lot more fireworks between him and Greg, about what REALLY happened.
What he hasn't spoken much about -- and I wish Indian sports memoirs address this -- is the lack of any anecdotes about cricketing strategy and decision-making. As a captain, how did your team build pressure? How did you motivate your boys when the chips were down? What thinking went into your bowling changes? How do you build momentum around a dismissal? Who were the opponents you enjoyed competing against? In some of the pressure cooker matches he'd played, what happened behind the scenes in some key captaincy decisions. If you played alongside four Indian former captains - Azhar, Sachin, Dravid, Kumble --
you played in the golden era of Indian cricket. What were the think-tank conversations like? The book offers barely any insights here -- it would have made for riveting reading. The World Cup final we lost to Australia in 2003 -- he's not opened up about that match at all. What was the road to the final like? (The same problems plagued MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, the film, perhaps one of the worst biopics I've seen.)
By not talking about the team's defeats, his own failures (fitness and sloppy running between the wickets), MS Dhoni's appointment as captain (and the new kind of team Dhoni built) -- this book felt like a lost opportunity. I hope he writes another book about the Dada approach towards captaincy, something that also addresses the ongoing conversations in Indian cricket -- the BCCI, Kohli, Shastri, the Yo-Yo test, etc. This book dwells mostly on his own records and how unfairly he was dropped from the national and IPL sides, and how remarkable his comebacks were. (They were indeed.)
March 29, 2018
Okay. I, much like a lot of other people, am a self-professed uber fan of Sourav Ganguly. And the fan in me wanted to give a 5-star rating to this book; the avid reader (again, self-professed) in me, a 3. The haggler in me has settled for a 4.
The goods? It is Sourav Ganguly's memoir of his professional career. The highs, the lows, the good, bad and ugly. It is all here. An illustrious career played out in constant media glare is recounted in vivid detail, replete with the great man's thinking at various points in his life. Nigh-religious fans, like yours truly, would definitely derive pleasure in reliving the highlights of Dada's career while also understanding just now, what his mindset was when he was creating those memories for us. Through this book, we get a peek into the mind of a champion athlete.
There is a certain arrogance in the writing at times, a bit of victim-hood at the others, but a general, constant pride in his life's work. It has quintessential traits of the Sourav Ganguly persona, at least the public one, that we all have loved for so long.
The downfalls? This is a book which has quintessential traits of the Sourav Ganguly persona. The reference to himself in the third person, the sense of self-righteousness at all times, the attempt to create an infallible image for himself, and the constant bits of motivational advice either break the flow or just make for a laborious read at times.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't change a thing in this book. Sourav Ganguly that I loved wasn't perfect. Why should his memoir be?
The goods? It is Sourav Ganguly's memoir of his professional career. The highs, the lows, the good, bad and ugly. It is all here. An illustrious career played out in constant media glare is recounted in vivid detail, replete with the great man's thinking at various points in his life. Nigh-religious fans, like yours truly, would definitely derive pleasure in reliving the highlights of Dada's career while also understanding just now, what his mindset was when he was creating those memories for us. Through this book, we get a peek into the mind of a champion athlete.
There is a certain arrogance in the writing at times, a bit of victim-hood at the others, but a general, constant pride in his life's work. It has quintessential traits of the Sourav Ganguly persona, at least the public one, that we all have loved for so long.
The downfalls? This is a book which has quintessential traits of the Sourav Ganguly persona. The reference to himself in the third person, the sense of self-righteousness at all times, the attempt to create an infallible image for himself, and the constant bits of motivational advice either break the flow or just make for a laborious read at times.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't change a thing in this book. Sourav Ganguly that I loved wasn't perfect. Why should his memoir be?
July 18, 2018
I was drawn towards this book because I have always been fascinated with Dada's roller coaster cricketing career. However, I was mildly disappointed- the predominant reason being that this book completely ignores some very key chapters in the Indian cricketing era like Match fixing and its influence on Indian cricket, the infighting between cricketers which was partly responsible for the 2007 world cup exit etc. Instead, the autobiography turned out to be a decent attempt at painting Dada as a gladiator and a victim both. Here is the caricature I drew of Ganguly after reading this book-
1. Pathbreaking captain : He tried out new things like getting a foreign coach for the first time in Indian cricket. First captain to do a recce of a foreign country (Australia) to understand pitches and ground conditions before an upcoming tour.
2. Inspiring leader: Most of the players he captained also vouch for this aspect of his personality. He successfully set foundations of a side which would do really well later.
3. Egoist: This bit is quite fascinating. He only talks about his successes in the book. Cherry picks and remembers good knocks in his defense of not getting picked in the squad and in general is quite defensive around performance. I would have liked Ganguly to write a more humble and candid assessment of his own career.
Read only if you are a big time Dada fan and keen to ignore the egoism that is quite palpable through out the book.
1. Pathbreaking captain : He tried out new things like getting a foreign coach for the first time in Indian cricket. First captain to do a recce of a foreign country (Australia) to understand pitches and ground conditions before an upcoming tour.
2. Inspiring leader: Most of the players he captained also vouch for this aspect of his personality. He successfully set foundations of a side which would do really well later.
3. Egoist: This bit is quite fascinating. He only talks about his successes in the book. Cherry picks and remembers good knocks in his defense of not getting picked in the squad and in general is quite defensive around performance. I would have liked Ganguly to write a more humble and candid assessment of his own career.
Read only if you are a big time Dada fan and keen to ignore the egoism that is quite palpable through out the book.
March 3, 2018
This was one autobiography that I have been waiting for a long time - not only as a fan but for the tumultuous and eventful career that Dada had. Right from the forgettable debut in Australia, his career had always been under scrutiny and experienced peaks & throughs like no one else's. And controversies abounded. That's what he focuses on in this componentized autobiography, which covers the major chapters (debut, Lord's, Toronto, captaincy, Natwest, Australia rivalry, Greg Chappell, the epic comeback, IPL) in his career rather than his entire life. And he does it bare it all - from the exact happenings, to the rumors that abounded, and how he went through the motions.
The narrative is linear and very conversational, which makes it a very breezy read. The book can be easily finished in one sitting. Dada gets really candid as he narrates the incidents and also shares some wonderful anecdotes, especially of his interactions with other cricketers. In doing that, he also shares lessons for readers which tend to become a bit preachy as the book progresses. What bothers me is how, in a bid to retain his place in the side, he was expecting poor performances from the team to increase his chances. And he is indeed proud of his achievements, calling out his stats quite regularly :)
The narrative is linear and very conversational, which makes it a very breezy read. The book can be easily finished in one sitting. Dada gets really candid as he narrates the incidents and also shares some wonderful anecdotes, especially of his interactions with other cricketers. In doing that, he also shares lessons for readers which tend to become a bit preachy as the book progresses. What bothers me is how, in a bid to retain his place in the side, he was expecting poor performances from the team to increase his chances. And he is indeed proud of his achievements, calling out his stats quite regularly :)
September 28, 2018
Sourav Ganguly - "Prince of Kolkata"(in Geoff Boycott's accent) , Sourav "Man of the match Ganguly", "Maharaj" , The ultimate comeback King, "God on the offside"- Dada could give Apollo Creed a run for his money when it comes to the number of names he was known by. For me, he was quite simply the best Indian Captain ever who instilled a winning mentality , self belief and killer instinct into the team.
The book is exactly what I expected it to be - Straightforward, insightful, unforgiving and most importantly a superbly paced quick read. And unlike Tendulkar (who remains my favourite in terms of pure cricketing genius), Dada does not mince any words and there are no half measures. My only complaint is that the book was too short! But then, it is targeted at a much wider audience majority of whom may not be receptive to a marathon read.
Recommended!
4/5.
The book is exactly what I expected it to be - Straightforward, insightful, unforgiving and most importantly a superbly paced quick read. And unlike Tendulkar (who remains my favourite in terms of pure cricketing genius), Dada does not mince any words and there are no half measures. My only complaint is that the book was too short! But then, it is targeted at a much wider audience majority of whom may not be receptive to a marathon read.
Recommended!
4/5.
March 11, 2018
As I read the book, I had Dada's voice narrating the entire text in my mind. There was so much of Ganguly-only things here. When I read Sachin's autobiography, I was left terribly disappointed and then I thought if someone from the Golden era of Indian cricket must be writing a memoir, it must be Sourav. In that aspect, the book turns out to be candid and puts things in simpler perspectives. It was also a nostalgic drive back to the days when the transformation of Indian cricket started. Ganguly also throws up life advices here and there, which are also worth noting.
July 15, 2018
A must read book. This book teaches the role of leader in any kind of team, be it a any game or any job, how leader's attitude towards game or player changes the equation and even with a lot of success in your bag, some situations will hit you very hard and suddenly your success become a story of past and then your come back will only depends on how you handles the situation. Title says it all.. Hats off to the a legend, a CAPTAIN. Dada _/\_
April 1, 2021
ಕೋಲ್ಕತದ ಈ 'ಯುವರಾಜ' 'ದಾದಾ' ಅಂತ ಕರೆಸಿಕೊಂಡದ್ದು ಇವನ ಜೀವನ ಚರಿತ್ರೆ ಓದಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ಬಹಳ ಸೂಕ್ತ ಅನ್ನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಯುವ ಆಕಾಂಕ್ಷಿಗಳಿಗೆ ತಮ್ಮ ಊರಿನ ಮೈದಾನವೇ ಗಟ್ಟಿ ಆದರೆ ಈತನಿಗೆ ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಇಂಗ್ಲೆಂಡಿಗೆ ಕಳಿಸಿದ್ದರಂತೆ. ಇಷ್ಟೆಲ್ಲಾ ಇದ್ದು ಈತ ಭಾರತ ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಸಲು ಪಟ್ಟ ಕಷ್ಟ ಹಾಗು ಪರಿಶ್ರಮ ಮಾತ್ರ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಯುವ ಆಕಾಂಕ್ಷಿ ತರಹವೇ, ಮುಂದೆ ತನ್ನ ಹಾದಿ ಯುವರಾಜನದ್ದಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ ಆದರೆ ಈತ ತನ್ನ ಹಾದಿ ಒಬ್ಬ ದಾದಾ ನ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲೇ ನಡೆದ ಹಾಗು ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ವಿಶ್ವ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇವನ ಸಾಧನೆ ಅಪ್ರತಿಮವಾದದ್ದು ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಇವನ ಬರುವಿಕೆಗೆ ಮುಂಚೆ ಹಾಗು ಬಂದ ನಂತರ ಆದ ಬದಲಾವಣೆ ಒಂದು ಹೊಸ ಮನ್ವಂತರವೇ ಸರಿ, ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ಆವರೆಗೂ ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ ಎಂಥ ಘಟಾನು ಘಟಿ ಆಟಗಾರರು ಬಂದುಹೋಗಿದ್ದರು ನಮ್ಮನು ವಿಶ್ವದ ಬೇರೆ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಗಳು ಅಂತಾ ಮಹತ್ವ ಕೊಡುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ನಾವು ಅಷ್ಟು ಸಂಘಟಿತರಾಗಿ ಆಡಿದಿಲ್ಲ ಹಾಗು ನಮಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬ ಕೆಚ್ಚೆದೆಯ ನಾಯಕನ ಕೊರತೆ ಇತ್ತು. ಈ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ನ್ಯೂನ್ಯತೆ ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಲು ಈ ದಾದಾ ನ ಆಗಮನಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಕಾದಂತಿತ್ತು , ನಮಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪ್ರತಿಮ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ಕುಶಲಿಗಳು ಇದ್ದರೂ ನಮ್ಮ ಬಹಳಷ್ಟು ಗೆಲುವು ನಮ್ಮ ತವರು ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಹೊರತು ವಿದೇಶಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮ ಅಣಕಿಸಿದಂತೆ ' ಪೇಪರ್ ಹುಲಿಗಳೇ ' ಸರಿ. ಗಂಗೂಲಿ ಬಂದ ನಂತರ ನಮ್ಮ ಆಟಗಾರರಲ್ಲಿ ಹೊಸ ಹುರುಪು, ಆಟದ ಶೈಲಿ, ತಂತ್ರಗಾರಿಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ಎಲ್ಲದ್ದಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಆಟಗಾರರಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವು ಕಂಡದ್ದು ಹೋರಾಟದ ಕಿಚ್ಚು, ವಿದೇಶಿ ಆಟಗಾರರ ಮೂದಲಿಕೆ, ಕಾಲೆಳೆಯುವ ತಂತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರತಿತಂತ್ರಗಾರಿಕೆ ಕಂಡದ್ದು ಗಂಗೂಲಿ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ . ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದಾಚೆಗೆ ಭಾರತ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ನ ಹೊಸ ಯುಗ ಆರಂಭವಾಯಿತು ಹೊಸ ಹೊಸ ಪ್ರತಿಭೆಗಳು ಭಾರತ ಮೂಲೆ ಮೂಲೆಯಿಂದಲೂ ಬರಲು ಶುರುವಾಗಿ ಭಾರತವನ್ನು ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ಟಿನ ತವರಾಗುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುವಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ದಾದಾ ನ ಪರಿಶ್ರಮವಂತು ಬಹಳಷ್ಟು ಇದೆ.
ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಮೇಲೆ ಹೇಳಿದ ಇಷ್ಟು ಮತ್ತು ಬಹಷ್ಟು ದಾದಾ ನ ನೋವು ನಲಿವುಗಳ ಸರಮಾಲೆಯೇ ಇದೆ. ನನಗಂತೂ ಪ್ರತಿ ಪುಟ ಓದಿದಾಗಲೂ ಆಟದ ನೇರ ದೃಶ್ಯಾವಳಿ ನೋಡಿದಂತೆ ಭಾಸವಾಯಿತು . ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಇವನೊಬ್ಬ 'ಛಲದಂಕ ಮಲ್ಲ' ನೇ ಸರಿ !
ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಮೇಲೆ ಹೇಳಿದ ಇಷ್ಟು ಮತ್ತು ಬಹಷ್ಟು ದಾದಾ ನ ನೋವು ನಲಿವುಗಳ ಸರಮಾಲೆಯೇ ಇದೆ. ನನಗಂತೂ ಪ್ರತಿ ಪುಟ ಓದಿದಾಗಲೂ ಆಟದ ನೇರ ದೃಶ್ಯಾವಳಿ ನೋಡಿದಂತೆ ಭಾಸವಾಯಿತು . ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಇವನೊಬ್ಬ 'ಛಲದಂಕ ಮಲ್ಲ' ನೇ ಸರಿ !
March 3, 2018
This is not just a memoir but also a self-help guide book. In almost every page, Sourav has tried to inspire his readers by sharing his own life's experiences. While starting to read, i thought of highlighting the lines with a marker, which i felt would inspire me in future, when i will be going through a bad phase. After finishing reading few pages, i realized that i would end up highlighting almost the entire book.
There is no denying or its not any secret that Sourav is considered as destiny's child; he is seen as the sportsperson who has come back from ashes again n again. Some might relate this book with his own batting style - aggressive and defensive at the same time. But that is how he has led his entire sporting career. Even in his haydays he had to defend and prove his skills time n again. One thing which strongly comes out from the pages is the anger Sourav had for his detractors. And since he had many, the approach is quite expected considering that its a memoir written directly by him. In my opinion, more than the anger its the frustration which he faced with individuals - The disappointment of having to prove his credibility even till his last day of playing.
There are segments where Sourav has boasted about his achievements, but that is expected again if someone has to remind people that he has been one of the very few leaders, a general who changed how Indian cricketers looked into opponents eyes.
Overall, anybody who has followed Indian Cricket of Golden times, when the lineup looked like Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Harbhajan, Srinath, Zaheer would find this book very touching. Pick it up without batting an eyelid.
Lastly after reading the memoir of both Sachin and Sourav, something stands out for me. Though again it had looked quite shocking when the things had actually happened, but to read them from the masters themselves is quite interesting. And both the incidents were from the times when Dravid was the captain. Sachin in his autobiography mentioned how he was disappointed when Dravid declared Indian innings while Sachin was batting on 194 and enough time in hand to force for an Indian victory. Similarly Sourav has explained how he was disappointed when Dravid didn't take a strong stance when Greg Chappel was ruining Indian Cricket. As a fan and follower of Indian Cricket those days, these two incidents were quite frustrating even to me!
There is no denying or its not any secret that Sourav is considered as destiny's child; he is seen as the sportsperson who has come back from ashes again n again. Some might relate this book with his own batting style - aggressive and defensive at the same time. But that is how he has led his entire sporting career. Even in his haydays he had to defend and prove his skills time n again. One thing which strongly comes out from the pages is the anger Sourav had for his detractors. And since he had many, the approach is quite expected considering that its a memoir written directly by him. In my opinion, more than the anger its the frustration which he faced with individuals - The disappointment of having to prove his credibility even till his last day of playing.
There are segments where Sourav has boasted about his achievements, but that is expected again if someone has to remind people that he has been one of the very few leaders, a general who changed how Indian cricketers looked into opponents eyes.
Overall, anybody who has followed Indian Cricket of Golden times, when the lineup looked like Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Harbhajan, Srinath, Zaheer would find this book very touching. Pick it up without batting an eyelid.
Lastly after reading the memoir of both Sachin and Sourav, something stands out for me. Though again it had looked quite shocking when the things had actually happened, but to read them from the masters themselves is quite interesting. And both the incidents were from the times when Dravid was the captain. Sachin in his autobiography mentioned how he was disappointed when Dravid declared Indian innings while Sachin was batting on 194 and enough time in hand to force for an Indian victory. Similarly Sourav has explained how he was disappointed when Dravid didn't take a strong stance when Greg Chappel was ruining Indian Cricket. As a fan and follower of Indian Cricket those days, these two incidents were quite frustrating even to me!
March 18, 2018
A good read overall (4.5 maybe). Towards the last couple of chapters I sort of found it a bit boring but completed the book nonetheless. If you have followed Ganguly, you will find this a very Ganguly-esque book. You will actually visualise Ganguly saying these in an interview. Its that close.
The good parts of the book are the feelings Ganguly shares along the way, the feeling of being selected for the India team for the first time, the shy, vulnerable Ganguly with the feelings of anxiety, the feelings of inferiority sitting among the stalwarts, the apprehensions etc. From that point to the most confident ( and to an extent an arrogant) Ganguly, you can feel the journey. He puts a reason to why he would be overly aggressive or arrogant at times and I was convinced and found myself respecting him a tad bit more now. Though I did feel at times he had really become a bit too overconfident towards the end of his career and wanted to sit on his past laurels, I could learn so much from a completely different angle as to how the ups and downs in life should be handled, how to cope through situations when people want to pull you down etc.
I would recommend this to anyone who follows a bit of cricket, who knows the events in Ganguly's career and wants to pick up Ganguly's mind when he faced through those situations or anyone who is just looking for some motivation getting around some difficult times in life.
The good parts of the book are the feelings Ganguly shares along the way, the feeling of being selected for the India team for the first time, the shy, vulnerable Ganguly with the feelings of anxiety, the feelings of inferiority sitting among the stalwarts, the apprehensions etc. From that point to the most confident ( and to an extent an arrogant) Ganguly, you can feel the journey. He puts a reason to why he would be overly aggressive or arrogant at times and I was convinced and found myself respecting him a tad bit more now. Though I did feel at times he had really become a bit too overconfident towards the end of his career and wanted to sit on his past laurels, I could learn so much from a completely different angle as to how the ups and downs in life should be handled, how to cope through situations when people want to pull you down etc.
I would recommend this to anyone who follows a bit of cricket, who knows the events in Ganguly's career and wants to pick up Ganguly's mind when he faced through those situations or anyone who is just looking for some motivation getting around some difficult times in life.
March 22, 2018
A quick read whose central theme can pretty much be summed up as 'Never give up, no matter what'. The book however fell slightly below my expectations in that it hardly gave the time to dwell enough on any of the goosebumpy incidents, be it the era defining Kolkata test, the Natwest Trophy final, the 2003 World Cup run, the Adelaide test... The memoir was more about how Ganguly always had to fight for his place, for his players, for proving himself repeatedly, and how the various setbacks he faced eventually made him determined and stronger. Having led India for five years, I was hoping to have more glimpses into what was going on inside Ganguly's head and the dressing room when the Indian team staged some of the brilliant comebacks mentioned above. He did repeatedly mention some of his captaincy mantra; supporting a player to the hilt, giving them ample opportunities to excel without the pressure of being dropped hanging over their heads and the nugget that it's more self-belief than skill that sometimes makes the difference in overseas tests and how he aimed to correct it by adopting an aggressive attitude and exhorting his players to do the same.
The book seemed more of a reminiscing of a few things at the top of his mind rather than an in-depth look into how he was part of a core that was instrumental in transforming Indian cricket forever. Not bad definitely, but could have been a lot better.
The book seemed more of a reminiscing of a few things at the top of his mind rather than an in-depth look into how he was part of a core that was instrumental in transforming Indian cricket forever. Not bad definitely, but could have been a lot better.
April 4, 2018
I was really looking forward to Ganguly’s autobiography. And what a coincidence, I read it just after Manjrekar’s autobiography whose exit coincided exactly with Ganguly’s entry.
I started watching cricket in 1991 with SAF’s re-entry into world cricket and India’s disastrous tour of Australia. We were terrible away from home and an away test win (even in Zim) was beyond imagination. Infact even at home, we used to host top teams once a decade on rank turners. And also, very frustratingly, our record against Pak in ODIs was pathetic.
With Ganguly’s debut and then his captaincy things began to change. It is almost as if he forged a team from his sheer will and resilience. In this book he recalls his rise and early days in international cricket. And the last section in which his struggles with coach Chappell have been noted was very interesting esp since there was a lot to know.
Readable but again it belongs to the hastily written short book category. This could have so much more. But worth a read for Indian cricket fans.
I started watching cricket in 1991 with SAF’s re-entry into world cricket and India’s disastrous tour of Australia. We were terrible away from home and an away test win (even in Zim) was beyond imagination. Infact even at home, we used to host top teams once a decade on rank turners. And also, very frustratingly, our record against Pak in ODIs was pathetic.
With Ganguly’s debut and then his captaincy things began to change. It is almost as if he forged a team from his sheer will and resilience. In this book he recalls his rise and early days in international cricket. And the last section in which his struggles with coach Chappell have been noted was very interesting esp since there was a lot to know.
Readable but again it belongs to the hastily written short book category. This could have so much more. But worth a read for Indian cricket fans.
July 5, 2021
Good leaders often make others to believe in them, but there are some great leaders who make you believe in yourself first. And, Former Captain of The Indian Cricket Team, Sourav Ganguly is one of those great leaders.
Prolific Player, who made so many records, and won matches, and believed in new talent & gave chance to them who are now among the best players in the World of Cricket.
Great Leader, who believed in himself and his team, and led them like a true leader.
Superb Captain, who changed the face of Indian Cricket and taught & led the Indian Cricket team to win overseas.
Comeback King, who didn't lose hope even after so many setbacks & politics, but kept his faith only in one thing, PERFORMANCE! And, made mark in the history books in his own style.
His contribution to the Indian Cricket will always remain invaluable.
You should not give up. Be patient. You have to wait for your turn, and when it comes, you must remain prepared.
Prolific Player, who made so many records, and won matches, and believed in new talent & gave chance to them who are now among the best players in the World of Cricket.
Great Leader, who believed in himself and his team, and led them like a true leader.
Superb Captain, who changed the face of Indian Cricket and taught & led the Indian Cricket team to win overseas.
Comeback King, who didn't lose hope even after so many setbacks & politics, but kept his faith only in one thing, PERFORMANCE! And, made mark in the history books in his own style.
His contribution to the Indian Cricket will always remain invaluable.
You should not give up. Be patient. You have to wait for your turn, and when it comes, you must remain prepared.
March 29, 2018
This book is purely fa cricket fans, others don’t give a try. Dada talked only Abu the life b/w the 22 yards. It’s seriously emotionally draining at times to read the kinda hardships he went through to break the cricket politics & stage a come back. Nothing came easily on the plate of king of comebacks. From Indian captain to go a downhill in life & treated as an ordinary player who need to score runs in Ranji Trophies to impress selectors shows everything is temporary in life. A big salute & respect fa the fighting spirit he shown. My hate list name always includes Chappel, after reading this book, it holds the second place after Hitler 😛.
One small disappointment i feel is Saurav didn’t talked abu his fan enough. Kinda of fans he had during his tough time was surreal, he is the one cricketer in my childhood , who had committed crazy fans fa his attitude more than batting, he should have thanked them & talked Abu them more.
One small disappointment i feel is Saurav didn’t talked abu his fan enough. Kinda of fans he had during his tough time was surreal, he is the one cricketer in my childhood , who had committed crazy fans fa his attitude more than batting, he should have thanked them & talked Abu them more.
November 29, 2018
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly, aka Dada is one of the most celebrated cricketer in India. Reading this book about him will give you a lot of goosebump moments if you’ve seen him play. The Lords balcony moment is one of the best, I would say. And the next saga is Dada vs Chappell aka Captain vs Coach. Every single moment can be celebrated by us, the ardent cricket fans. As the title says, Dada won’t be content with just century. Such is his legacy. Sourav Ganguly - India’s Best Captain is the popular saying across India. The way Dada captained his side will make anybody say that. His aggression was the unexpected thing then for an Indian team. That was why the opposition team felt very difficult facing Dada’s Indian team. Overall, this book is a must-read one if you are a die-hard “DADA” fan. As of now, 2 books done from India’s “FAB 4” stars. Waiting for more!!
October 8, 2019
Sourav Ganguly is undoubtedly one of the best captains in the cricketing world. Biopics/ Autobiographies of other other sportspeople would present the rise of their career, however this biography would show the rise of The Indian cricket team. Transformation from match fixing saga to a great Indian team.
Dada certainly had faced lot of obstacles, challenges through out his journey. But, he never gave up and never questioned his ability. His relentless hardwork, his unwavering passion and his incredible attitude made him what he is. Sourav Ganguly is the breath of fresh air in early 2000s of Indian cricket team. The last few chapters in the book almost me cry for what happened to the one of the cricketing legends. His comeback to the team is a great learning lesson for everyone.
This book is an inspiration, will always come back when I feel low. Once a gangulian, always a gangulian.
Dada certainly had faced lot of obstacles, challenges through out his journey. But, he never gave up and never questioned his ability. His relentless hardwork, his unwavering passion and his incredible attitude made him what he is. Sourav Ganguly is the breath of fresh air in early 2000s of Indian cricket team. The last few chapters in the book almost me cry for what happened to the one of the cricketing legends. His comeback to the team is a great learning lesson for everyone.
This book is an inspiration, will always come back when I feel low. Once a gangulian, always a gangulian.
March 13, 2018
This book is much like the person whom I have seen playing in television from his debut test against England.The book is simple yet inspiring and with a chain of events written very simply.You can get a peep inside the mind of one of the most successful captains India has ever produced.On the negative side I hoped that he would be more open while dealing with controversies and his differences with all.As example he has chosen Chappel and Buchanan and what he felt about them but he is all praise for everyone with whom he has played.This is simply not possible with the way he has captained or played.May be his current administrative position has come in the way of playing a little more step out "Bapi Bari Jaa" which is also the name of a chapter of the book.
April 25, 2019
Dada has a selective memory since he can't remember numerous innings where he failed to score. Yes, the Greg Chappell incident was a shame, but other than that, he needed to be dropped from the team for his poor form. He acts as a victim for the whole book. Moreover, the book is poorly written. He was one of the best captains and batsmen India has ever produced. There's no need for him to defend (or ignore, in the case of this book) his failures in the latter stage of his international career.
I still remember reading a joke about his poor form in a newspaper -
Ganguly is going out to bat from the dressing room when VVS Laxman says to him, "Sourav, there's a call for you from your wife."
Ganguly says, "Tell her to hold, I'll be right back."
March 15, 2018
A natural point of comparison is Tendulkar's autobiography 'Playing It My Way', which is the 2007 World Cup of autobiographies (the 2007 World Cup sucked). In comparison, Dada's work is frank, conversational, and a deeply personal glimpse into one of India's most complex minds.
I give it 4 stars because of the squandered potential - The occasionally clunky writing and the unnecessary urge to race through important events rather than flesh them out a little, makes me hope that in the years to come Dada will come back to the subject matter and write a truly great cricketing autobiography.
I give it 4 stars because of the squandered potential - The occasionally clunky writing and the unnecessary urge to race through important events rather than flesh them out a little, makes me hope that in the years to come Dada will come back to the subject matter and write a truly great cricketing autobiography.
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