One look at this picture cake from Kookie Jar, a special birthday gift from Team t2, and Sourav Ganguly flashed trademark smile and wit. “CAB has made me look old!” smiled the cricketer-turned-administrator as he posed with the cake, wife Dona by his side. Sourav, now the CAB president, turned 44 on Friday. His birthday wish? “I need to rest a bit… no work… a holiday. I want to go to London. From this year I am going to decide on the few things that I am going to do for the rest of my life. I need to sit back and think once July finishes where life is going because I cannot handle so much… I am human,” he said. What’s priority? “Obviously, cricket will be priority… my TV show (Dadagiri) will be priority… that does very well and I enjoy it,” smiled Sourav. Any birthday with Team India he fondly remembers? “My birthday at Trent Bridge… first time on tour with Indian cricket… I had got a 100 (136)… celebrations with teammates…” mused Maharaj.

What was Dona’s birthday wish for her man? “All my best wishes! Whatever he does, he does it well. Let him be strong and healthy… and go on serving cricket the way he has done.” 

Daughter Sana had it all planned out for daddy dear on the special day — wishing him at midnight, this blue T-shirt as a gift and, of course, a party. The special dish? Sourav’s favourite mutton biryani, of course! “Celebrating birthdays with family and close friends is fun,” said Dada, who cut a cake with Sana and gang at his sasural later on Friday. Pictures by

Pabitra Das