Former India captain speaks on his June 22, 1996 Test debut hundred which was scored 25 years ago
India’s Sourav Ganguly plays elegantly through the off-side during his debut century against England at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London on June 22, 1996. Pic/Getty Images
It’s 25 years since Sourav Ganguly became the first Indian batsman to score a Test debut hundred at Lord’s. He did so against England, who were led by Michael Atherton and in the process, helped India to go well beyond England’s first innings score of 344.
One-drop Ganguly scored 131 (301 balls, 20x4) as India totalled 429, helped also by Ganguly’s fellow Test debutant Rahul Dravid’s 95. The game was drawn after the opening Test defeat at Edgbaston. The Bengal tiger also scored a hundred in the following Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
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The innings at Lord’s was worthy of high praise and noted cricket writer Scyld Berry wrote in The Telegraph newspaper: “It was the highest score by any batsman on his Test debut at Lord's. Ganguly was the subject of schoolboy jokes and sing-songs when the 23-year-old Indian left-hander first batted against England in the Old Trafford international. But you had to watch Ganguly as he became only the third batsman to make a hundred on his Test debut here.”
mid-day.com spoke to the former India captain and current president of the BCCI on his three-figure efforts which highlighted the last two Tests India figured in, during that English summer.
Excerpts:
25 years…so quickly
Twenty-five years have passed so quickly. Those two centuries in England changed my life. Nobody could have imagined that cricket would reward me so many accolades. What more can a cricketer ask for and I got everything from the cricket field.
I was well prepared mentally
I was very young then (a couple of weeks short of turning 24). My only ambition was to play for India (Ganguly had represented India in ODI cricket before). The then captain, Mohammed Azharuddin informed me two days before the Test that I could be playing, so I could do my mental preparation. In fact, I slept well the night before the Test, which started on June 20.
Settling in as a Test player
I did a bit of knocking since we did not bat on the first day. I sent back Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick and so I could settle down in the Test cricket atmosphere. While speaking to my dad on the same night, he reminded me that I had to score since I was drafted in as an all-rounder. I tried the next day and succeeded. I miss my dad.
That walk to the Lord’s turf
I was asked to bat at number three, went in after Vikram Rathore got out. It's a long walk towards the 22 yards of Lord's. I had to come down, cross the Long Room and spoke to myself - ‘no more looking back now. I have been waiting for this opportunity.’
Encouragement from Sachin
I do remember the partnerships I had with Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul (Dravid). Sachin kept saying that I should continue batting in the same vein. I had faced Dominic Cork for my first ball in Test cricket, hit on the pad. I got my first Test run off Dominic through a flick.
Sachin helped me fix my bat handle
I can remember one incident. The handle of my best bat broke while playing. I was mending the bat during the tea break when Sachin came up to me and helped me plaster it. He urged me to continue playing with the same bat. By the way, I do have my first bat along with the bats with which I got all my hundreds.
Greatest moment of my life
I just cannot compare the feeling of getting my first Test century to anything; not possible. It was the greatest moment of my life. I found my teammates clapping for me and I got a standing ovation from everywhere in the ground. I just cannot forget that moment; a great honour. I also realised that it was the same balcony from which Kapil Dev and his team sprayed champagne when India won the World Cup in 1983. I was 10 then but those memories last forever.
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