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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly shed light on the factors contributing to the Indian cricket team's success on the international stage. Ganguly, who has firsthand experience leading the Indian team, including a tour to Pakistan in 2004, attributes the team's consistent production of high-caliber players to the robust domestic cricket infrastructure in India.
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"Whenever I make contact with Pakistani players or journalists, it really makes me happy," Ganguly told A Sports.
While acknowledging the positive impact of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ganguly clarified that India's achievements in international cricket aren't solely due to the IPL. Instead, he pointed out that the broader cricketing culture in India plays a pivotal role. This culture, according to Ganguly, offers young players a sense of security and the potential for a sustainable livelihood through the sport.
"IPL not the sole reason for India's success in international cricket. Quality cannot come from playing only IPL, quality comes from playing 4-day, 5-day cricket. If you play more T20 cricket, you will remain mediocre. I always say that play T20s, make money from T20s but if you want to be a player, you have to play 4-day, 5-day cricket," Ganguly explained.
"Players should be like Wasim Akram, who could bowl 25-30 overs in a day. He was fast with the new ball and with the old ball as well. I think not only IPL, but the entire Indian cricketing infrastructure is incredible. There are so many matches, so many players and we are lucky in that way," the former BCCI president further added.
Ganguly also emphasised the role of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in this success. He highlighted the BCCI's effective management and support for players, noting that the board ensures that financial resources are directed appropriately to nurture and support cricketing talent.
"Money is used in the right direction, they are used on the players. First-class cricket has seen an incredible pay rise. The first-class cricketers play cricket from September to March and then 2 months of IPL. And I think it is because of this system that the team is so strong. And of course the match security," Ganguly explained.
"There is a lot of talent in your country too. I keep hearing about it. The country that has Shaheen Shah Afridi, the team that has Rizwan, Babar, and Imam could be great if some specific changes are made," he concluded.
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