Sourav Ganguly
2001 series against Australia had transformed Indian team: Sourav Ganguly
Kolkata: Former Indian captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India chief Sourav Ganguly on Thursday recollected memories of the historic 2001 Test series against Australia which the Indian team won under his leadership and said it completely transformed his squad.
"That Test match and Test series completely transformed the team," Ganguly said while addressing a press conference in Kolkata where Bandhan Bank appointed him as its brand ambassador.
"Situations like this transform individuals. That Test series transformed India cricket. In the next five years we just got better. We became a much better team and went on winning."
Sourav Ganguly and his men created history in the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the second Test match of the three-match series when they defeated Australia by 171 runs to level the series 1-1.
The Test match will be remembered due to Harbhajan Singh's hat-trick spell and VVS Laxman's gutsy 281 runs knock. Laxman and Rahul Dravid (180) had put up a record 376 runs partnership in the second innings.
India had bounced back and clinched the match even after Australia had enforced follow-on after the first innings.
With this win, India had broken the Australian team's 16-match winning streak in Test cricket.
India won the series by beating Australia in Chennai by two wickets after clinching the second Test in Kolkata.
Australia had earlier defeated India in the first Test match of the series to go 1-0 up.
Speaking about his debut Test hundred against England in 1996, Ganguly said: "I could not get back to that particular mindset for the rest of my career which I had in that innings of my debut Test match."
On June 22, 1996, debutant Ganguly had scored 131 off 301 balls against England at Lord's. He hammered 20 boundaries in his memorable knock.
The Test match was drawn.
His ODI debut, however, occured in 1992.
(Reporting by Supriyo Hazra)
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