Reminiscence of the ripple of a shirt by Dada- the unmatched gesture Natwest 2002

Reminiscence of the ripple of a shirt by Dada- the unmatched gesture Natwest 2002: Sourav Ganguly, Dada has been an irreplaceable asset of the game of cricket and was a committed servant of Indian cricket who carried out his responsibilities with unswerving passion. He had that extraordinary zeal and unabated commitment which separated him from the rest. He propagated the aggressive brand of cricket to every Indian team mate of his and showed the world how it is to play the game of cricket hard and fair.

Dada holds many records as a batsman and captain. He was the catapult for the growth of many talented youngsters which includes Sehwag, Kaif, Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Zaheer to name a few. He laid the amicable platform for future by repeatedly giving chances to youth even when they failed. A gallant leader who made India compete on level terms with the mighty Australia during his reign as captain, Ganguly was a fearless warrior and gave more than his 100 percent every time he donned the Indian jersey. He led the Indian team to 2003 WC finals in which India ended up losing to the Aussies. He was the leader who injected aggression into Indian cricket and remains unrivaled in that aspect. Today is a red letter day to every Indian cricket fan. Today was the day when India won the Natwest series final against England and the day when Dada proudly stood in the Lords balcony and waved his shirt in the air.

Earlier in 2001 England toured India to play 3 tests and 6 ODI. India managed to win the test series 1-0 and was eyeing to win the ODI series as they had a 3-2 lead. The series-deciding 6^th ODI at Mumbai turned out to be a nail biting contest. Trescothick’s 95 helped England to a decent 255. India at one point 191 for 3 and were favorites to win the match. But India lost the next 7 wickets for just 59 runs as England managed to level the series. Flintoff picked the last wicket of Srinath and took his shirt off and ran all over the ground. This incident triggered Dada to repeat the same when he got his chance in the Natwest series in 2002.

In the 2002 version of the series India posted 4 wins by defeating England once and Sri Lanka thrice to make it to the Natwest final. England on the other hand won twice against Sri Lanka and once against India to qualify for the ultimate game.

India and England squared off in the historic 2002 Natwest final held at the Lords which turned out to be an edge of the seat thriller. England won the toss opting to bat first on the crucial final. They lost their first wicket with 42 runs on board as Nick Knight departed early. Later England skipper Nasser Hussain joined Marcus Trescothick at the crease. The English duo decimated the Indian bowlers with ease as they put up a phenomenal 185 run partnership. Hussain’s 115, Trescothick’s 109 and Flintoff’s quick 40 helped England to a mammoth total of 325.

India started well with openers Sehwag and Ganguly firing all cylinders as they scored runs at blistering pace. They made 106 in just 14.3 overs when Ganguly departed with an audacious 60. India then suffered a middle order collapse as they lost Sehwag, Mongia, Dravid and Tendulkar in quick succession. India with just 146 for 5 was on the edge of defeat when young Yuvraj and Kaif arrived at the crease to steady the ship. They slowly built a partnership which helped India recover from their early slump.

Their partnership took India to 267 as Yuvraj returned to the pavilion with a gutsy 69. Kaif carried on the fight back with some help form Harbhajan as India inched towards the target. Flintoff provided England the breakthrough as he struck twice to remove Harbhajan and Kumble with India 12 runs away from victory. With 6 needed from 7 balls Zaheer Khan edged past the keeper for a crucial boundary. India requires 2 runs of the last over with Kaif on strike. He managed to work the ball for a single and with a misfield managed to scramble for a second as India won the incredible battle. The crowd got sent into a state of frenzy and Indian captain Ganguly took off his shirt and whirled it in air with euphoria.

Dada’s act was considered by some as a disgrace to the Gentleman’s game. Ganguly himself was later quoted saying, “You make mistakes in life. I personally did not quite enjoy it. I don’t enjoy when I see channels keep on repeating that footage on television. I have made so many hundreds, they should show that.” But it will forever remain as a moment of pride for every Indian fan. It’s a moment that every Indian would want to reminisce seeing it over and over again.

Watch the video of the winning moments for India and Dada’s celebration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgOtaBMIlZY