Sourav Ganguly, a former captain of India, was abruptly fired and will no longer serve as BCCI President after October 17th. Jay Shah, the Home Minister Amit Shah’s son, will still have the position of Secretary, nonetheless. The action has caused a major uproar among the cricket community. Many analysts claim that despite the ex-commitment captain’s and remarkable accomplishments, the ruling party at the centre has treated him with contempt.

The irony is that a lot of players have previously thanked Ganguly for helping to further their careers. In the past, players like Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, MS Dhoni, and others have acknowledged their debt to Ganguly. However, not a single voice has been raised in his defence today. They have abandoned him at a time when he needed them most. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, two of his closest pals, are remaining silent.

Famous athletes have frequently expressed their opinions on political topics. Muhammad Ali served time in prison but didn’t budge from his opposition to the Vietnam War. When the US national anthem played at the Mexico Olympics, Tommy Smith and John Carlos raised their black-gloved fists in protest of how black people are treated in the US.

In an effort to protest racism, Colin Kaepernick pioneered the one-knee craze. It’s debatable whether their stance was correct or incorrect. However, they have boldly spoken their viewpoint. Indian athletes, however, lack such bravery. Their short-sighted safety-first approach might end up costing them in the long run. One day, they could be discarded as well. Players will constantly be used and abandoned by different politicians, regardless of party, unless they acquire a solid negotiating position.

Ganguly’s effective leadership and great captaincy skills led India out of trouble and helped to bury the unpleasant memories of the match-fixing scandals that shook Indian cricket. He inspired the Indian players’ confidence. He gave them confidence that they could defeat England, South Africa, and Australia. This is the treatment he has received despite all of his efforts to advance Indian cricket. The following questions immediately come to mind: In what ways did Jay Shah differ from Ganguly? What justifies allowing him to continue in his position?

Kolkata media sources claim that Ganguly was unaware of this development. He feels incredibly let down. He believed that he and Jay Shah would each be given a second term in office. The BCCI’s manipulators had kept their actions a secret. The President was not even somewhat aware that he would be dismissed. Jay Shah even sought him advice recently over the sponsoring of Team India’s uniform and the sponsorship obligations owed by Byju’s to the BCCI. Ganguly, who on the cricket field has handled the quickest bowlers with ease, was stunned by this unexpected bouncer from the political heavyweights.

Now that the state elections for West Bengal were taking place in 2021, we can infer that Ganguly must have been under intense pressure to join the BJP. His attendance at the celebration would have influenced the opinions of millions of his devoted followers, making him a prize capture. However, Ganguly maintained his balance and did not slant to either side. Ganguly maintained cordial relationships with both BJP power brokers and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. But it appears that his moral character has suddenly cost him his position.

Roger Binny, a former all-rounder, will shortly take over as BCCI President and is a talented individual. But one can’t help but feel bad for one of India’s greatest captains, who has reportedly been treated badly at the BJP’s urging.

But Ganguly has faced challenges in the past and overcame them. After a struggle, he defeated Coach Greg Chappell, and Ganguly, who had been kicked off the Indian squad, also triumphed. He should not be dismissed so readily this time either. Due to the fact that Ganguly’s ardent Bengali fans would now resolutely reject the saffron party, the BJP may discover that they have shot themselves in the foot.

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