The Eden Gardens in Kolkata witnessed a grand felicitation event for the Bengal Women’s Under-15 cricket team on Monday, celebrating their championship victory. The evening brought together cricket legends Sourav Ganguly, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Mohammed Shami.
Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India’s men’s team, lavished praise on Virat Kohli, describing him as a generational talent. “See, Virat Kohli, is a once-in-a-lifetime cricketer, like Jhulan is, like Mithali is,” said Ganguly. “To score 80 international hundreds in a career is unbelievable. For me, he is probably the greatest white-ball player the world has seen.”
Ganguly reflected on the challenges Kohli has faced, and his ability to overcome them. “I was really surprised by the way he batted after getting a hundred in Perth,” he said. “He struggled before that this year, but I thought after that hundred, it would be a big series for him. But every player has his weaknesses. It is how you adapt to those weaknesses while playing great bowlers over time.”
Discussing Kohli’s prospects, Ganguly expressed optimism. “I still feel there is a lot of cricket left in Virat Kohli,” he said. “The tour of England will be a big challenge for him. I am not too worried about his form in the Champions Trophy. He is probably the best white-ball player the world has seen, and he will score runs in this tournament in Indian(-like) conditions.”
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Shifting to India’s Test cricket performance, Ganguly emphasised the importance of scoring big in the first innings. He praised the Indian pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. “So happy to see Shami fit because I think he is probably the best after Bumrah in the country,” said Ganguly. “Shami and Bumrah bowling at two ends is different. Bumrah will benefit in England alongside Shami. They keep pressure on both ends.”
Shami, making a comeback after more than a year out with injuries, shared his journey with the audience. “What I think is that the hunger to play for your country should never fade,” he said. “If you love that, you should fight back despite being injured several times. I was born and brought up in UP but made in Bengal. This Eden Gardens ground has given me a lot, and I tried my best to repay that with loyalty.”
Mithali and Jhulan, icons of Indian women’s cricket, spoke about the values that defined their careers. Mithali, the former skipper, highlighted discipline as her cornerstone. “Discipline has helped me all through my career,” she said. “There are so many players who are gifted but cannot sustain or play at a higher level without discipline.”
Jhulan echoed the importance of discipline and hard work. “If you don’t put enough effort into practice, you’re not going to get 100 per cent results,” she said. “Throughout my career, I followed routines and shared that knowledge with young players.”
Also Read: Hope, discipline and the hunger to succeed – a magical night at Eden Gardens
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