The IPL has started with a bang as usual. The set of teams have started playing the matches with either exciting finishes or single side results. But what I was more concerned about was the absence of Sourav Ganguly. It would have added more spice if Ganguly had been part of IPL this season.

If you look back at his career, Sourav Ganguly was always been talk of the town more about the controversies surrounding him. In the first phase of his career, he proved himself best at captainship and aggressively led the team from front. But in the second phase of his career, there was a slight touch injustice which came in his way. After his famous spat with Australian coach, he was not just removed from the cricket team but even was ill-treated on the national scene. After performing well in the tests, he was ignored for the tour of Pakistan by the selectors. Only after the intervention by BCCI-head, he was selected back in the team but to be dropped again. Even after performing well at domestic level he was ignored at every step. The selectors along with the coach teamed against Sourav Ganguly to reduce his confidence and to destroy his career. But Bengal Tiger remained quiet. He was hurt but did not flinch away from his determination. More he was offended, more he becomes stronger. This was surely his grit and his resolution which kept him on the edge. It was surely a different Sourav Ganguly, we saw during this period. More he was pressed more he bounced back.

I was not a great fan of Sourav Ganguly then, but his unique ability to fightback, his tremendous determination and his never-give-up attitude brought me closer to him. I still remember how media too had become crazy about Sourav Ganguly. His pictures appeared daily, where he was seen working on the Eden Garden, his hard training with parachute tied against him. And his famous advertisement of “Apne Dada KO Bhule To Nahi” always made the difference. Like many of his fan, I too wanted Sourav Ganguly back in the team at the earliest at any cost!!

Opportunity did come to him, thanks for the change in selection committee, but it was blessing in disguise. Sourav Ganguly was offered a chance but it was like a testing time for him. He was sent to South Africa in the middle of tour to replace some young out of form player. It was as if the final act of the play against Sourav Ganguly played by his enemies. It was the toughest tour where he has to face South African fast bowling on the bouncy pitches, where most of the world-class batsmen never feel comfortable. For his enemies, it was like last nail on the coffin. People against him were happy to know that this will surely wipe the name Sourav Ganguly from the Indian cricket. But destiny has something else stored for this lion-hearted man. His batting caliber and his high class ability against the speedy bowling on bouncy pitches bring him back on the national scene with a new title against his name – the Comeback-Man !!

For Sourav Ganguly, controversies are always been part of his cricketing career. But to me, I find him as a great human being. May be he is gutsy and aggressive at times for some cause but always well-behaved well-mannered and always supportive to his colleagues in good or in bad times. May be he loves doing captaincy and he has his own way of doing it but surely he was loyal to all his captains - Dhoni, Kumble, Dravid, Sachin, Yuvraj and even McCullum in IPL under whom he played.

May be he should have played for one or two years more in tests but he got tired of whims and frenzies of selection board, that one fine day he decided enough is enough. Even in IPL, there was lot of drama created around him but he remained in total balance

He was considered as one of the popular cricketers, even 4 – 5 years after his retirement. The name Sourav Ganguly means lot to millions of fans across the world. He has strong support across the nation. Even he has more fan clubs in south than most of the successful southern cricketers.

If you ask me, what Sourav Ganguly has given us over the years, it is his fighting spirit, his aggressive nature on field against deadliest of enemies, his bold viewpoints and judgements and his humble & well-mannered behavior which will be always remembered.

I always feel, he should have been the part of IPL this season too, if he had accepted the offer given by Hyderabad team, we would have loved to support our Dada one more time, at least for last time!!

I always miss Sourav Ganguly, miss his teasing square-drives and those huge sixes, when he used to come dancing down the track against the world class bowling. I miss him standing at middon chewing his nails and advising the bowler on every delivery!!