Dada returns: Sourav Ganguly set to take charge as Bengal Cricket head unopposed

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will begin a new chapter in the administration after he filed his nomination for the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

Ganguly arrived at Eden Gardens on Sunday to file his nomination for the CAB president post. As of now, the position is held by his brother Snehasish, who has been in the role for nearly three years. The elections will take place on September 22. With no other candidates contesting the polls, Ganguly could become the CAB president unopposed.

“It is no challenge. I have eight years of experience in this–five years as CAB President, three years as the BCCI President. So I’ll try and do my best,” Ganguly said while speaking to reporters about his nomination.

Ganguly previously served as the CAB president from 2015 to 2019. In the year when his tenure ended, Ganguly was announced as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president. He held the position till 2022, before being replaced by Roger Binny.

Earlier this year, the former southpaw was reappointed as the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee chair of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s Cricket Committee. He previously served in the role in 2021.

Ganguly recently took over as the head coach of the SA20 outfit Pretoria Capitals after replacing Jonathan Trott. In his past ventures, Ganguly served as the team advisor of the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2019. He later became the Director of Cricket of the franchise from 2023 to 2024.

During his prolific playing days, Sourav featured in 113 matches in the Test format. He scored 7,212 runs at an average of 42.17. He smashed 16 centuries and 35 half-centuries in 188 innings, with the best score of 239. He is the seventh-highest run-scorer for India in Test cricket.

He walloped a century on his Test debut against England at Lord’s in 1996. As a captain, he led India in 49 matches. Out of this, India won 21, lost 13 and drew 15 games. With a win percentage of 42.85, he is one of the most successful captains for India.

Ganguly has also represented India in 311 ODIs, scoring 11,363 runs at an average of 41.02. He has scored 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries in 300 innings, with the best score of 183. He is India’s third-highest ODI run-getter. He led India to 147 ODI matches, winning 76, losing 66 and five failed to produce results. In ODIs, he had a win percentage of 51.70.