When Greg Chappell ruled supreme,
when many cricketing pundits had declared IHateGanguly in a dotcom
Rahul could-do-no-wrong Dravid was asked about Ganguly’s continued exclusion.

It is reported his response was “we have other options”.
Oh no we didn’t, and it has been proved in spectacular fashion.

Chappell beat a retreat, Dravid followed reluctantly and the dotcom changed its name.
Now the country votes to bring back Ganguly as captain.

Netizens want Sourav Ganguly back

On a TimesofIndia.com poll, when we asked who between Sachin, Sourav and Dhoni should wear the badge, the verdict was clearly in favour of the Maharaj of Bengal. A whopping 53% felt that the responsibility should go to the all-rounder, for his sheer aggression and oodles of attitude. And going by the letters that swamped our inbox in favour of the Bengal player, it is clear that the masses want Sourav back at the top.

As if to prove that the above poll was not a fluke, a second poll makes him the most successful Indian captain in 75 years.

Indian cricket celebrates 75 years at Castrol Awards ceremony
MUMBAI:

It was a spectacular celebration of 75 years of Indian Test cricket at the 10th Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence. The brightest stars of Indian cricket — the past, present and future were there in full strength as Castrol honoured and felicitated the outstanding cricketers who have played for India in the last 75 years.

To recognize the outstanding cricketers of the last 75 years, the period was divided into six â??erasâ?(tm); 1932 — 47, 1947 — 61, 1961 —71, 1971 — 81, 1981 — 97 and 1997 — 2006. Col. C.K. Nayudu, the man they still call the â??Shahenshahâ?(tm) of Indian cricket, was nominated as the Castrol Indian Cricketer for the first era – 1932 — 47. The award was received by his daughter Chandra Nayudu. The awardee for the second era 1947 — 61, was Vinoo Mankad, the first Indian to complete the â??doubleâ?(tm) of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in Tests. This Award was received by his son Atul.

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the â??tigerâ?(tm) of a cricketer who revolutionized fielding standards and instilled the â??winningâ?(tm) habit into his team, received the Best Indian Cricketer Award for the third era — 1961 — 1971. He could not make it to the function due to prior commitments, but sent in a recorded message. The winners for the next two eras virtually picked themselves. Sunil Gavaskar, the first batsman to score 10,000 runs, and Kapil Dev, the first Indian to take 400 Test wickets, won the award for the fourth (1971 — 1981) and fifth era (1981 — 1997) respectively.

The last era was the decade of the Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence and appropriately, two individuals who have dominated Indian cricket and the Castrol Awards since their inception in 1997, shared the award for the sixth era — Rahul Dravid (five-time winner of the Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year) and Sachin Tendulkar (four-time winner of the Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year).

One of the high points of the evening was the felicitation of Indiaâ?(tm)s Test captains Nari Contractor, Chandu Borde, Ajit Wadekar, Bishan Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, all members of this elite club who were present on the occasion, were honoured for their outstanding service to Indian cricket. A special trophy was presented to Ganguly for being Indiaâ?(tm)s most successful captain in Test cricket.

No it will not happen.
The power of regional hatred is too powerful for that.

The IhateBongs lobby had found a saviour in Chappell, and had put Dravid on the throne,
but were proved just putting on a crown doesn’t make one the king.

They are now silenced, but will try their best to find another captain,
be a youngster as in Dhoni, or an oldie as in Tendulkar,
anyone other than Ganguly will do.