Sourav Ganguly turns 36 today.
The Prince of Kolkata, who led India to the World Cup final in 2003, got dropped subsequently and then made a spectacular comeback last year.
He was recently voted 'Asian Cricketer' and 'Asian Batsman of the Year' at the Castrol Asian Cricket Awards in Karachi.
Returning to one-day cricket after a 16-month absence, he scored 98 against the West Indies in the first ODI. And his subsequent performances reiterated the fact that he is still one of the best players in the shorter form of the game.
In the longer version of the game too, Ganguly was equally consistent.
He got a hundred against Bangladesh at Chittagong and had good scores in the three-Test series in England (249 runs).
But his moment of glory came towards the end of 2007 in the home series against Pakistan. His first-ever century (102) at his home ground, Kolkata's Eden Gardens, was followed by his maiden Test double-hundred (239) in Bangalore.
At the end of the three-match series, his aggregate was 534 runs at an average of 89.00 -- the second-best tally ever by an Indian batsman in a three-Test series.
Moreover, Ganguly was perhaps the only player to emerge unscathed from India's disastrous World Cup campaign.
This year, he hit two crucial half-centuries in his last two Tests, against South Africa. Yet he lost his place in the one-day side.
With the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka, Team India will again be looking forward to some inspired batting from Dada.
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