While the floor is open for debate over the greatest Indian captain, Pakistan fast bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar has a clear choice – his former rival Sourav Ganguly.
Ganguly is often credited with building an Indian team which was taken to another level by MS Dhoni who won India two world cup trophies in 2007 (T20 World Cup) and 2011 (ODI World Cup).
Akhtar, who took 444 wickets during his injury-plagued international career, praises Dhoni for his leadership skills but rates Ganguly above him.
“If I talk about India, then it will be Sourav Ganguly. India haven’t produced a better captain than him. Dhoni is very good, he’s a superb captain but when you talk about team building then Ganguly did a great job,” Akhtar said in an interview in Helo app.
During career, Akhtar always felt India were incapable of beating them outside of world cup but then Ganguly changed that during the 2004 Pakistan tour.
“I never thought India could beat us outside of a World Cup game. I toured India in 1999, we won in Chennai, we lost in Delhi but we won in Kolkata again, we won in Sharjah,” Akhtar recalled. “When India came in Pakistan in 2004 under Ganguly’s leadership I got a feeling that this team can beat Pakistan and they did that.”
He continued, “The bravery and capability you can understand through this. He brought that transformation into the Indian side. I’m a huge fan of Bengalis, they are, strong, courageous and they are the ones who fight at the forefront.”
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