I will always ‘bat’ for Ganguly, the ambassador of Bengal in Indian cricket. One of those men who made Indian cricket great! I don’t question Dhoni’s skills or capabilities as captain, but in no way can he be compared to Dada’s aggression yet controlled precision on field. The man is as good on TV, as a commentator, as he was on the 22 yards. His attitude, confidence and ability to do anything under the sun with equal zest and finesse makes him a force to be reckoned with. Call me biased or partial, my interest in cricket begins and ends with DADA! (Who do you bat for, Dada or Dhoni? July 8)

Avipsha Ghosh 

Sourav Ganguly is undoubtedly among the greats but MSD’s achievements and calm demeanour have placed him among the greats as well. I have seen a classmate of mine celebrate India’s exit from the 2015 World Cup just because he hates Mahi. I am a fan of both. But if I was asked to pick one, I would definitely go with Mahi. He is the one I worship not only because of his achievements but the path he had to travel to reach the pinnacle of success. How can one not choose a person who once had nothing over a person who tasted all sorts of luxuries? Can a self-made man be compared to someone who had his father and brother to take him forward?

KP Saha, Baguiati

I don’t want to compare Dada and Dhoni. t2 has clearly mentioned the similarities and dissimilarties between them. I just want to say for me Dada is the king, and Dhoni is his perfect successor like a prince to look after his kingdom. But yes, I’m a Bengali and I will always love to bat for Dada, scream for Dada.

Puhabi Das

Dada became the Indian captain at a time when Indian cricket was in the midst of a match-fixing scandal. But Sourav made India a formidable force with his temperament, aggression and love for his teammates. Dada created Team India. Dhoni is good, but Dada is the best.

Kaushik Kansabanik, Bally

They were icons from different eras, with different teams, different opposition and different playing conditions. We should be grateful that India could field such outstanding leaders in quick succession. Statistically Dhoni is more successful but Sourav could build a world-class team from rookies. Let us only pray that the legacy left behind by them is carried forward by Virat Kohli.

Amitasree Ghosh

I will obviously bat for Dada because I love and respect him for being unique. Undoubtedly Dhoni is a very good player but in the matter of captaincy he is not better than Ganguly. Sourav Ganguly is superb in every role whether player, captain, TV host, commentator or CAB president. He puts his mark on everything he does. He is an example of courage, patience, optimism and fearlessness. I am proud to be his fan.

Tua Ghatak, Salt Lake

I support Dada because he helped Indian cricket reunite and reconstruct. MS is ahead of Dada in terms of records but in my eyes Dada is better. According to me, Dada was the one and only gunda of the team. He innovated ideas of hitting back at those who hit him and his team. MS Dhoni simply walked on the path he showed.
Asmita Pramanick 

DPS North Calcutta

It’s Dhoni all the way. He played 90 Test matches and if he had played 10 more, he could have joined an elite list of players to represent India in 100 Tests. But Dhoni never gave importance to personal records, which is an example of sheer selflessness. He won the ODI Player of the Year award twice. He possesses the highest score by a wicket-keeper batsman, 183 not out in ODI. It’s not luck, but his intelligence and knowledge about the game that guided him to take decisions like giving the last over to Joginder Sharma in the 2007 World T20  final and to Hardik Pandya in Asia Cup T20 final in 2016.

Daya Prasad Murarka

Of course I’ll bat for Dada. He is the true leader of Indian cricket. He is not only a successful captain of India but also a wonderful commentator. He is one of the finest TV anchors and most importantly now, the CAB president. I think every impossible task becomes easy for him. That’s why he is the BEST!!!

Sinjita Barman, Chandernagore

Dada will always be regarded as one of the cricketing legends. He’s an icon and a pillar of inspiration. I also choose him over Dhoni simply because he is a Bengali. Lastly, he’s a versatile person. He has hosted TV reality shows like Dadagiri and Ke Hobe Banglar Kotipoti.

Arkajit Datta Gupta, Barrackpore

Dada’s indomitable valour and never-say-die attitude evoked a new ray of hope in the sphere of Indian cricket post-2000, M.S. Dhoni’s street-smart character made him the messiah of Indian cricket in a number of tricky situations. However, if I had to, I would definitely like to take a stance for none other than our favourite Dada. The numbers and stats may give Dhoni a slight edge, but what it doesn’t show is the psychological edge instilled in the spine of Indian cricket by Dada’s inspirational leadership. He taught India to win overseas. His talent-spotting and the sheer confidence he instilled in the talented youngsters of his time enabled them to blossom in the coming years, with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, helping Dhoni win the World Cup in 2011. In short, it is Dada who brought about a Renaissance in Indian cricket.

Sayantap Datta, Jadavpur University

I would like to bat for our Prince of Calcutta, the stylish southpaw and aggressive captain of Team India, who completely changed the definition of Indian cricket. Building the team by excavating raw talents and nurturing them to perform in the international circuit was no easy task. Making the players believe that they could win overseas was instilled in their veins by none other than Dada. Dhoni on the other hand was lucky enough to get a bunch of talented cricketers ‘created’ by Dada.

Arindam Lodh, St. Jude’s High School

I am a huge MSD fan, but in my childhood I was a Dada fan. I doubt if there is still anyone who has that elegant cover drive Ganguly had. On the other hand, I doubt if anyone has a calm demeanour like Dhoni! Dhoni and Dada, both had contrasting styles of captaincy. While Dada held Indian cricket’s hand during the match-fixing scandal, Dhoni has won us two World Cups. So, I bat for both! 
Rajarshi Das, Habra

My decision is slightly tilted towards Sourav. It’s because he was the one who took the team out of serious turmoil and prepared the platform for his players. We will perhaps never see the ‘Fab Five’ on the field, but Dhoni was incredibly lucky to inherit the team he did. Moreover, our Dada has more wins overseas than Dhoni which makes him great. 

Alok Ganguly, Calcutta

Dada is the ultimate captain of India. He became captain when Indian cricket was going through a dark phase because of match-fixing. He took up the challenge and brought a dying Indian cricket back to life. Under his leadership India started winning abroad. He also took India to the final of the World Cup in 2003, which we unfortunately lost to the mighty Australians. Dada will always be the ultimate hero of India cricket.

Kedar Nath Ray, Sovabazar

Dada is the best. He assumed captaincy when India was number eight in the world. But he soon proved his Dadagiri. In the famous 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, who would have dared to keep Steve Waugh waiting for the toss? Only Dada could have. And that 2-1 series victory may be rated as one of the biggest wins for Dada, since it was on the back of Australia’s 16-match winning streak. In 2002, when India won the Natwest Trophy at Lord’s, only Dada could have waved his jersey like that! He’s also the first Indian captain to win a series against Pakistan in Pakistan. I bat for Dada, because he is the greatest.

Soumyadip Sen

 

Coming from a Bengali household and being an MSDian is the toughest job ever because it feels like you are alone in the den of Dhoni-haters and I guess I have to face this all my life. I would bat for Dhoni on any given day. Most of the people in this country term all his achievements and records to be the result of his luck but let me tell you Mahi believes in creating his own luck and he has proved it with his journey from being a simple ticket collector at a local station to a global legend. He is the unputdownable Captain Cool who always held his nerve in pressure situations, his calmness rubbing off on his teammates and inspiring them in every way. He is 35 and his fitness level is still higher than many cricketers on that field, not to forget he keeps like a dream.

But it’s his selfless nature that makes him stand out as an extraordinary gentleman, a man who kept his national duty above his duty as a father, a man who held up the trophy after winning tournaments just to gift it to his team. Also, he is the most favourite punching bag and a perfect leader is defined as one who takes more the share of his blame and less the share of his credit. When most Indian cricket fanatics are waiting for his retirement, I would say there is no replacement for this man and just maybe after he hangs up his pads people will realise his worth.
No matter how much you hate him, you just have to admit the fact that the game is never over till Dhoni is at the crease. Till then I would say The Winner always stands alone and I stand up as a proud fan.

Anwesha Sensarma, Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College

I would bat for Dhoni, who’s not only an excellent batsman and wicketkeeper but also a teamman. He always takes decisions under pressure with a cool head, a quality of his I admire a lot. 

Ishani Sen, Behala

In no other sport is the role of a captain more imperative and influential than cricket. Over the years we have been blessed to have some inspirational men lead the Indian cricket team, of whom Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni are two of the very best. In terms of captaincy style, Dada and MSD are like chalk and cheese with the former always wearing his heart on his sleeve and the latter never letting go of his stoic and imperturbable self. When it comes to numbers, Dhoni clearly has the upper hand and he is also the only international captain to have won the ICC World Cup, the World T20 as well as the Champions Trophy. Dhoni’s incomparable calmness and ability to take crucial decisions under immense pressure make him a better captain for the shorter versions of the game. However, when it comes to Test cricket, Dada’s sheer aggression and killer instincts place him above MSD. A captain is not merely a strategist but also a man manager and it would in no way be an exaggeration to suggest that Dada groomed the young brigade that formed the nucleus of Dhoni’s all-conquering ODI team. When it came to leading from the front, both stepped up on numerous occasions to rescue a sinking ship but MSD’s World Cup winning knock in the 2011 final deserves a special mention, especially considering that Ganguly too reached a World Cup final in 2003 but lost.

If a choice had to be made with respect to leadership, Dhoni would emerge as the braveheart in blue while Dada would rise as the warrior in white.

Priyam Marik, St. Xavier’s College

Even though statistically Dhoni is greater than Sourav, back in 2000, the popularity of cricket was on the downhill because of the match-fixing scandal. It was at that point that Sourav taught Indian cricket that they could win abroad.
Sandip Kr. Pramanik 

I will obviously bat for Dada! He is the ‘Maharaja’ of Calcutta and the ‘God of Offside’ for cricket lovers. Maybe he was unsuccessful in bringing us the World Cup trophy in 2003 but he was the captain who defeated Australia, England and Pakistan on their home soil. He’s a true legend.

Sreemoyee Bandyopadhyay

Choosing between Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni is like having to choose between a day at home with my favourite book and a day out with friends. I cannot leave out either of them. Similarly, both Sourav and Dhoni have matched each other with their captaincy. On the one hand, Sourav has built the Indian team brick by brick, on the other, it has been Dhoni who has paved the way for a World Cup victory. 

Atraye Mazumder, Modern English Academy

DADA!!!!! You’ll always be my favourite.

Ritojeet Das, St. Mary’s School

“Arre, you are a Bong, yet you are not Dada’s fan?” I have heard this from many of my friends, relatives since 2007. In reply I tell them that I don’t hate Sourav Ganguly, but Dhoni is always a step ahead of him. I can very well remember when I started watching cricket in the early 2000s. Dada made a perfect Team India. And later, it was Dhoni’s duty and responsibility to lead that team and carry forward the spirit. We all know how effortlessly he’s done that. Yes, we call Mr Ganguly Dada, Bengal Tiger, the Maharaja but this ticket collector from Jharkhand has written his fate with only one name on it, “The Indian Skipper”. Today, when somebody tells me “Dhoni’s just a lucky guy, that’s it”, I feel like laughing at them because that’s what one would say when you’re out of logical reasons.
I loved our Bengal-pride in Lord’s and I felt bad for him in the 2003 final. I do respect him. But if you go through the fangirl’s article on him in t2 dated July 8, her eight points in support of Dada aren’t complete without attacking Dhoni, Chappell, Shastri... and there are some non-cricketing points like ‘crush’, ‘TV appearances’, etc., which have nothing to do on field. On the other hand, the fanboy attacks Ganguly just once in his first point to end this ‘war’. Rest of his six points simply deliver what Dhoni is as a cricketer. You know, that’s the difference. Dhoni is the ‘character’ we all want to be. Ganguly is something we manage to become. Less achievements, more talking. And for Dhoni, well we don’t talk much!

Animesh Bhattacharya, Baidyabati, Hooghly

Dada had to take the baton when the Indian team was in the doldrums. The team was literally shattered with the match-fixing controversy. He had to come forward and lead by example which he managed to do with aplomb. There was no looking back and the team started to roll on. Dada had to find out the match-winners to build Team India. The inclusion of Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag was his contribution. All of them turned out to be real match-winners afterwards. MSD did not have to do all these things. He had to build on the foundation laid by Dada and steer the team to victory.

Dada was aggressive, courageous and the ‘killer instinct’ was inculcated in the team by him. He stopped the juggernaut of the invincible Aussies and led India to 2-1 victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Natwest Trophy win was also a great achievement. Only, his decision to field first in the 2003 World Cup final was not wise.

Although they have very little differences, I still rate Dada ahead of MSD for these reasons. If I give MSD 9 out of 10, I will give Dada 9.5.

Indranil Sanyal, Dhakuria

I’m batting, bowling, fielding and umpiring... all for DADA! Mahi stands no chance! Sourav Ganguly gave Indian cricket a whole new level, a whole new taste of success. He redefined the craze for cricket all over India. The world learnt not to mess with the Indian cricket team because of Dada’s royal growl and that’s called Dadagiri! Oh yeah DADAGIRI! Bujhlen?

Ayushee Saha, Rani Birla Girls’ College

From reviving Indian cricket from the match-fixing scandal to  being one of India’s most successful captains of all time. He’s the man who give Indian cricket aggression which will be remembered till the time Indian cricket exists.

We may not have any quality to judge or criticise you, but we admire, follow, worship and mostly, we love you.

Priyam Bhattacharjee

Dada, without any second thoughts. Nobody can match his style and Dadagiri. Even a helicopter shot will have to bow down to a Dada six over long on. He is a better captain and a better player than MSD. Dada was the best captain of an Indian team but MSD is the captain of the best Indian team. Dada rocks!

Partha Goswami
 
Dada, you are the greatest.

Shamik Adhikary

I am always ready to bat for my Dada. He is my fave cricketer ever since I started watching cricket.Without Dada the Indian cricket team would have been incomplete. He is the one who gave India Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh,Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan and created a shining version of Team India. He was also a part of the best Indian opening partnership, with Sachin Tendulkar. Only he had the guts to take off his jersey on the Lord’s balcony.  He has been a great anchor and commentator. And he is one of the best dads too. So, Dada will always be the greatest.

Mayukh Sarkar
 
I am at a loss for words to give vent to my sense of delight as I read the lines scripted by ‘A Dada Fangirl’. As a fellow employee of Tata Steel for some eight years and being a friend of his late father Chandi Ganguly, I’ve no doubt about articulating my preference for the ‘Maharaj’. Sourav’s meteoric rise to stardom as a left-handed batsman beggars description. An amicable person with a flair for mixing with one and all regardless of his/her official or social status is an acknowledged truth. The most sparkling moment of his glory with the willow in his hand is his scintillating 131 in Lords in 1996. It is still the talking point about him, both at home and abroad, I frankly admit to nurturing a special fascination for him as he used to call me Kaku (uncle) during his stint with the company in the private steel sector. He grew from strength to strength earning a niche for himself in world cricket. Now that he is in an official capacity in the CAB and is likely to be chosen ICC chairman some day, he is sure to shine with his mature and intelligent understanding of the nitty-gritty of cricket.

This said, I have an adverse comment to make about him though I know pretty well that this might vex many of his fans. The way he took off his shirt after India’s victory against England in the Natwest series was in poor taste. This might have been a euphoric exhibition of the exuberance of his joy, but that, in my humble opinion, was in poor taste incompatible with the sweetness and suavity of the Souravian temperament.

The comparative evaluation of Dada and Dhoni citing the records of each of the Indian cricket stars tells its own tale. Any comparison between two greats is a hazardous job. Yet, I would like to bat for the Dada even if I run the risk of being partisan.

Prabhanshu Saha, Salt Lake