"Batted with grace. Led with passion." - Wishes galore for Sourav Ganguly as "Dada" turns 50

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is celebrating his 50th birthday today.

Former Team India captain and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly is celebrating his 50th birthday on Friday (July 8). The “Dada” of Indian cricket is widely recognized as the man who led Indian cricket out of turmoil following the match-fixing controversy that rocked the country and world cricket as a whole in 2000.

He was also a match-winner with the bat, especially in the one-day format. Ganguly, known for his silken strokeplay, ended his ODI career with 11363 runs from 311 matches at an average of 41.02 with 22 hundreds and 72 fifties. In Tests, he contributed 7212 runs from 113 games at an average of 42.17 with 16 hundreds and 35 half-centuries.

Ganguly polarized opinions in world cricket. But for those who have played under him, he has been a mentor and inspiration. Many of them took to social media to wish their “Dada” as he completed a special half-century. Here’s a compilation of Twitter reactions on Ganguly’s 50th birthday:

Here's wishing former #TeamIndia Captain and current BCCI President @SGanguly99 a very happy birthday. 👏 🎂 https://t.co/H0mWChTgSd

Happy Birthday Dada! You’ve been a great friend, an impactful captain and a senior any youngster would want to learn from.

Wishing you good health and happiness on your special day 🎂 lots of love and best wishes always @SGanguly99

#HappyBirthdayDada https://t.co/SPEIVIXJcA

From donning the hat of #TeamIndia's Captain to BCCI President, your journey is an impeccable example of dedication and ascertainment. There is a lot to learn from this journey. শুভ জন্মদিন দাদা @SGanguly99। আপনার আগামী বছর মঙ্গলময় হওয়ার কামোনা করি। https://t.co/yEz1NBBdWN

A very happy birthday to a great leader, @SGanguly99 🤗 Wishing you good health and happiness on your special day. Have an amazing year ahead! https://t.co/q8nSqUcaMp

Happiest Birthday Dada @SGanguly99
Wishing you good health and serene birthday filled with endless blessings! https://t.co/PSQi1bJsz7

Time to raise the bat, Happy 50th birthday dada @SGanguly99 🎂 Wish you a healthy and prosperous year ahead 🤗 https://t.co/hN0BfvNnv7

𝘼 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 5⃣0⃣ 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙟! 👑 🙌

@SGanguly99 #HappyBirthdayDada #AmiKKR https://t.co/FfcaSMS9Jo

Indian Cricket
📍
📏 (DADA)
📏
📏
📍 Sourav Ganguly

Super birthday to the Prince who ruled 🇮🇳🏏 with 🔥!

#HappyBirthdayDada #WhistlePodu 🦁💛 https://t.co/EXP4B53tMT

Sourav Ganguly used to dance down the pitch against spinners.Coincidentally his wife is a prominent Odissi dancer & his sister in law is a prominent Mohiniyattam dancer..
#HappyBirthdayGanguly https://t.co/EjMdT7xfMl

A great player, a superb leader, the @BCCI President, and my captain. Wish you a very happy birthday @SGanguly99, Dada 🤗 Have a wonderful year ahead. Love always! https://t.co/Ejh33skeHG

From a fine batsman to an outstanding captain & now leading indian cricket on the whole—here’s wishing my favourite captain & mentor @SGanguly99 a very happy birthday.
#HappyBirthdayDada https://t.co/Sx1l1lQZJS

Many happy returns of the day, Dada @SGanguly99 🤗 A great career on the field and now the heart and soul of @BCCI, you have inspired many in your journey. Wishing you good health and a blessed year ahead. Lots of love! https://t.co/q7orI1oPno

Wishing @SGanguly99 a birthday filled with love and happiness ❤️ May all the joy that you have spread to others come back to you a hundredfold. Have a blessed year ahead Dada #HappyBirthdayDada

Batted with grace. Led with passion. Happy birthday, Dada. 🇮🇳

#HappyBirthdaySouravGanguly | @SGanguly99 https://t.co/gCmPz1m7vk

The man of aggression,Leader✊
Captain who shows how to win matches outside Asia...
The Man behind young cricketers Viru,Yuvi,Bhajji,Zaheer,Dhoni...
If someone triggered him...this is how he react with bat @SGanguly99
#HappyBirthdayDada
https://t.co/46Atndklt8

Happy Birthday to the Bengal Tiger, the Lord of off side Sourav Ganguly!! ❤❤🙏🙏😍😍🎂🎂🎉🎉💐💐💥💥💯💯

@SGanguly99
#SouravGanguly
#HappyBirthdayDada https://t.co/yxU8dZZMMs

The captain who kept Steve Waugh waiting at the toss, who instilled self belief that Indian cricket could win abroad, who dared to remove his shirt on a Lords balcony, and the highest scoring left hander in Indian cricket. Happy 50th birthday to Bengal’s Dada @SGanguly99 👍

Sourav Ganguly - The man who changed the Indian cricket, who instilled the aggression in Indian cricket, who taught how to play fearless in away. He has 11,000+ runs in ODIs, 7000+ runs in tests, won series. The Prince of Kolkata, God of off side. Happy birthday, @SGanguly99. https://t.co/i1WrW9XV7B

Sourav Ganguly’s standout achievements as a cricketer

The former left-handed batter scored a century on Test debut at Lord’s. His 131 remains one of the most talked about hundreds by an overseas player at the hallowed cricket ground in England. Ganguly followed up his debut hundred with another century in the subsequent Test match at Trent Bridge.

Apart from having scored the most runs by an Indian left-handed batter, he also possesses the record of having registered the highest individual score by an Indian in a 50-over World Cup match - 183 against Sri Lanka in Taunton.

He is third on the list of Indian batters who have scored the most runs in ODIs. Ganguly and Tendulkar hold the record for having scored the most runs as an opening pair in one-dayers - 6609. Under "Dada", the Men in Blue ended as runners-up during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

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