The other faculty which this talented southpaw possesses is to remain in a proximity to the powers that be. But it has not been a one-way traffic as important political personalities whose love for the game of cricket was not discerned earlier made a beeline to be Ganguly’s benefactor.

An alacrity to be Ganguly's "friend' and be seen in this celebrity cricketer’s company cut across the ideological divide. During Left Front regime, State urban development minister Ashok Bhattacharya was the first to roll out a red carpet for Ganguly. Being a CPI(M) bigwig and not known to be a lover of gentleman's game earlier, Bhattacharya befriended Ganguly during the Left Front regime. Gift of plots to run cricket coaching centres followed.

Yet relation between Ganguly and Trinamool Congress has been more than amicable ever since 2011 regime change. But when the former "Captain Courageous" found himself ensconced in the chair of the BCCI chief and a BJP influence was discernible, the TMC camp maintained a studied silence.

The usually fit former cricketer not known to be a foodie or a penchant for a "chota peg" to cheer and inebriate an evening suddenly complained of chest pains before 2021elections. It was laid at the door of getting a call from the saffron camp to be its nominee in the elections and it's CM face. Nothing surfaced but it was again an offer to be the brand ambassador of Tripura. It was not declined by Ganguly. It was a debut of sorts for Ganguly for he has never been a brand ambassador earlier.

It was none other than chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee who asked Ganguly to step into the shoes of film star Shahrukh Khan to be the brand ambassador of the state where the regime of the dispensation of Didi (or elder sister as Mamata is known to her followers and fans). The "invitation" from Banerjee came at the podium of Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS)on November 21 and was followed by "You can't say no."

Naturally, Ganguly obliged. The offer follows the former captain of the national cricket team accompanying the West Bengal chief minister to an overseas trip scouting for investment which is missing in the state compared to other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

And it was in Spain with Banerjee that Ganguly announced his intent to restart the abandoned steel plant at Salboni. No longer wielding the willow for the national or state squad, he is a rare example of having a head for business after being a canny cricket captain.

Much in demand long since his playing days are over, it is not strange in a state starved of icons. Incidentally, none of the political parties belonging to the Opposition have a word against the former match winning batsman following the acceptance of his new office.

Given Ganguly's popularity among the masses, all political parties are chary of rubbing him the wrong way. The same holds true for their cadre force who may go to a long length at their leaders' bidding would stop short in joining a chorus criticizing Sourav.

Sporting icons be it the football trinity of Chuni Goswami, Pradip Banerjee and Tulsidas Balram or cricketer Pankaj Roy, or hockey star Gurbax Singh and even Majid Baskar from Iran, sportsmen have continued to be the apples of the eye of the state's populace. Be it during a jog in the green or standing in a queue, they have been looked upto.

But there has been none like Sourav Ganguly. For he has been different from other sportsmen for whom the people stood up and took notice. Ganguly has enjoyed the fishes and loaves of office the most. Yet he never let himself being stamped with an ideology.

His image had nothing to wash itself off. In other words, he has never been caught off the crease, to use a cricketing parlance. Ganguly replaced Khan who still has a pan-India appeal. It remains to be seen how the former cricketer who has had his fair share of bouquets and brickbats during his playing days, essays his second innings as a brand ambassador of a state he represented in the cricketing fields..

More importantly, is the new position signalling the beginning of a political career in Trinamool Congress? Will he be campaigning in the coming Lok Sabha polls in support of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee? These are now issues of major political interest in Bengal as the main political parties TMC, Congress and the CPI(M) pre[pare for the 2024 elections. (IPA Service)