Sourav Ganguly enters ICC Hall of Fame on 54th birthday, Tendulkar leads tributes
Synopsis
On his 54th birthday, Sourav Ganguly joined cricket's most exclusive roll of honour — and the man who greeted him there was Sachin Tendulkar, his opening partner since they were 14. Ganguly called it the 'biggest job satisfaction ever.' For a captain who rebuilt Indian cricket from the ruins of a match-fixing scandal, the ICC Hall of Fame is a fitting final word.
Key Takeaways
Sourav Ganguly has been named an ICC Hall of Fame inductee, with the formal announcement expected on 11 July in Edinburgh .
The honour coincides with Ganguly's 54th birthday on 9 July .
He will become the 12th Indian overall and 10th Indian men's cricketer in the Hall of Fame.
Ganguly scored 11,363 runs in 311 ODIs with 22 centuries and took 132 wickets ; he made 7,212 Test runs in 113 matches .
Sachin Tendulkar congratulated Ganguly on X ; Ganguly replied that joining Tendulkar on the list was the 'biggest job satisfaction ever.' Previous Indian inductees include Tendulkar , MS Dhoni , Kapil Dev , Rahul Dravid , and Virender Sehwag , among others.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has been named the latest inductee into the ICC Hall of Fame, with the announcement coinciding with his 54th birthday on 9 July. Ganguly is set to become the 12th Indian overall and the 10th Indian men's cricketer to receive one of cricket's highest honours, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) expected to formally confirm the inductees on 11 July at the conclusion of its annual conference in Edinburgh.
Tendulkar's tribute and Ganguly's emotional response
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was among the first to congratulate his long-time teammate, sharing a heartfelt message on X that recalled their bond stretching back to childhood. 'There aren't too many surprises left after knowing each other since we were 14. This wasn't one either. Congratulations @SGanguly99. So happy to see you in the @ICC Hall of Fame!' Tendulkar wrote.
Ganguly responded with equal warmth, crediting the recognition as the pinnacle of his cricketing life. 'Thank you champion... to be in the same list as you is the biggest job satisfaction ever @bcci,' he replied on X. The exchange underscored one of ODI cricket's most celebrated opening partnerships — a combination that reshaped India's batting template through the late 1990s and early 2000s.
A career defined by runs, wickets, and transformation
Ganguly's statistics alone justify the honour. In 311 ODIs, he accumulated 11,363 runs including 22 centuries, while also claiming 132 wickets — a combination that made him one of the most complete players of his era. In Test cricket, he amassed 7,212 runs across 113 matches.
Affectionately nicknamed the 'God of the Off-side', Ganguly's batting was defined by his commanding strokeplay through the covers. But it was his captaincy that arguably left the deeper imprint on Indian cricket.
The captain who changed India's mindset
Ganguly assumed the captaincy in 2000 amid the match-fixing crisis — arguably the lowest point in Indian cricket's modern history — and proceeded to rebuild the side with an aggressive, never-back-down philosophy. Under his leadership, India won the 2002 NatWest Trophy, shared the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, reached the final of the 2003 ODI World Cup, and secured a historic Test series win in Pakistan in 2004.
Perhaps his most iconic moment as captain came during the 2001 Kolkata Test at Eden Gardens, when India followed on against Australia and scripted a famous comeback victory — widely regarded as one of the greatest Test matches ever played.
Life after cricket and the Hall of Fame context
After retiring from playing, Ganguly served as BCCI president during the Covid-19 pandemic. He currently holds the role of Director of Cricket for Delhi Capitals in both the IPL and WPL, and serves as head coach of Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 league. He is also the sitting president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
Previous Indian inductees into the ICC Hall of Fame include Bishan Singh Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vinoo Mankad, Diana Edulji, Virender Sehwag, Neetu David, and MS Dhoni. Ganguly's induction places him in company that reflects the full sweep of India's cricketing heritage. The formal announcement on 11 July in Edinburgh will mark the official close of this year's ICC conference.
Point of View
But the timing — on his birthday, confirmed ahead of the ICC's Edinburgh conference — feels almost scripted. What the citation will need to capture, and what statistics alone cannot, is the cultural reset he engineered: taking over a demoralised side mid-scandal and turning it into a team that toured and won abroad. The Tendulkar-Ganguly exchange on X is charming, but the harder question is whether Indian cricket has adequately institutionalised the aggressive, result-oriented captaincy philosophy Ganguly pioneered — or whether it remains a personality trait rather than a systemic inheritance.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Sourav Ganguly's ICC Hall of Fame induction being officially announced?
The ICC is expected to formally announce Ganguly's Hall of Fame induction on 11 July 2025, at the close of its annual conference in Edinburgh. The news of his selection emerged on 9 July, coinciding with his 54th birthday.
How many Indians are now in the ICC Hall of Fame?
With Ganguly's inclusion, India will have 12 Hall of Fame inductees in total, making him the 10th Indian men's cricketer to receive the honour. Previous inductees include Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Bishan Singh Bedi, Vinoo Mankad, Diana Edulji, and Neetu David.
What did Sachin Tendulkar say about Ganguly's ICC Hall of Fame induction?
Tendulkar posted on X: 'There aren't too many surprises left after knowing each other since we were 14. This wasn't one either. Congratulations @SGanguly99. So happy to see you in the @ICC Hall of Fame!' Ganguly replied that being on the same list as Tendulkar was the 'biggest job satisfaction ever.'
What are Sourav Ganguly's key career statistics?
Ganguly scored 11,363 runs in 311 ODIs, including 22 centuries, and took 132 wickets. In Test cricket, he amassed 7,212 runs across 113 matches. As captain, he led India to the 2002 NatWest Trophy, the 2003 ODI World Cup final, and a historic Test series win in Pakistan in 2004.
What is Sourav Ganguly doing after his cricket career?
Ganguly currently serves as Director of Cricket for Delhi Capitals in the IPL and WPL, and as head coach of Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 league. He is also the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and previously served as BCCI president during the Covid-19 pandemic.
