I didn't expect that MS Dhoni would hand over the captaincy during my final Test: Sourav Ganguly

Regarded as one of the most successful skippers in the history of Indian cricket, Sourav Ganguly was known for his never-look-back attitude and aggressive leadership approach. ‘Dada’ is often credited for his role in the resurgence of Team India.

While inducing a winning attitude in the side, Ganguly steered the side to triumph in 21 Tests out of 49. 15 of those Test matches that Ganguly led ended in a draw. One praiseworthy record of Ganguly was his winning record in overseas Tests. He was the most successful Indian Test captain overseas, with a total of 11 victories under his belt.

India were ranked eighth in the ICC Test rankings when Ganguly donned the skipper’s hat. Under his tenure, the side witnessed a significant evolution as India cruised up to second in the Test rankings. Ganguly added many feathers in his cap until MS Dhoni took over the mantle.

The Nagpur Test against Australia in 2008 was the final international appearance of ‘Dada’. Having announced before the game that he would be retiring after this particular Test, Ganguly was also given a guard of honour by his teammates as he came onto the ground.

Moreover, fans were left in awe after Dhoni asked Ganguly to captain the side too in the final moments of the Test. Ganguly, while reminiscing the final few minutes of his career, revealed that it was a surprise when Dhoni passed the captaincy baton to him during the match.

I don’t know what I did for those 3, 4 overs: Sourav Ganguly

“My last Test match in Nagpur. It was the last day, last session. I was walking down the steps at the Vidarbha Stadium. They (my teammates) stood beside me and allowed me to enter the ground,” Ganguly told India batsman Mayank Agarwal in the latest episode of his chat show ‘Open Nets with Mayank’.

“That (handing over captaincy) was a bit of a surprise. I didn’t expect it. But MS Dhoni being MS Dhoni, he is full of surprises like his captaincy. We were winning the Test match and my mind was on retirement. I don’t know what I did for those 3, 4 overs,” he added.

Despite scoring a duck in the second innings of the Test, Ganguly bid adieu to the sport with a victory. India went on to register a dominant 172-run win over the Aussies, ensuring that Ganguly’s last international appearance was a memorable one.

Here’s the clip:

#HappyBirthdayDada#DadaOpensWithMayank

The most awaited episode is out. DO NOT MISS this special segment where @mayankcricket gets @SGanguly99 to reveal some of the most fascinating behind the scenes stories.

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— BCCI (@BCCI) July 7, 2020