‘Good people finish first too’: Sourav Ganguly hails India’s MCG triumph, calls the win ‘special’

Ganguly’s words promise to resonate with every member of the Indian cricket team and its fans as he called the victory special and lauded Ajinkya Rahane and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for their impactful performances during the Test.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly might have gotten a tad late in posting a congratulatory message for the Indian cricket team for their series-levelling win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the wait was worth it. Ganguly’s words promise to resonate with every member of the Indian cricket team and its fans as he called the victory special and lauded Ajinkya Rahane and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for their impactful performances during the Test.

Former Indian cricketer and current BCCI (Board Of Control for Cricket in India) president Sourav Ganguly reacts during a press conference at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. (REUTERS)

“A special win at MCG… India loves playing here… well done Ajinkya Rahane @ajinkyarahane88 ..good people finish first too.. congratulations to all..@imjadeja @ashwinravi99 .best of luck for the next 2 games @BCCI,” Ganguly tweeted.

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The part of the tweet that people can relate to the most is the bit where he mentions ‘good people finish first too’ referring to India’s stand-in captain Rahane, who led from the front with a match-turning 112, his 12th Test century. It was his second century in Australia and one that promises to remain with him long after he’s retired.

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As for Jadeja, the all-rounder picked up three wickets in the match and scored a crucial knock of 57, that helped India consolidate by acquiring a first-innings lead of 131. This was Jadeja’s 50th Test match for India, which means he is only the third player in the history of Indian cricket after MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to have featured in 50 or more games in all three formats of the game.

The win is India’s fourth at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, making the stadium their most successful venue overseas. They’ve won at Melbourne in 1977, 1981, 2018 and now 2020. Under Ganguly, India won a famous Test match, in Adelaide in 2003 in which Rahul Dravid had emerged the star with knocks of 233 and 72*.