‘Sourav has conquered mountains, this is nothing’

It is often said that had it not been for his family’s support, Sourav Ganguly wouldn’t have been what he is. Right from building an indoor gymnasium to laying a concrete pitch inside the house, ‘Maharaj’ had everything at his disposal from a young age.

It is often said that had it not been for his family’s support, Sourav Ganguly wouldn’t have been what he is. Right from building an indoor gymnasium to laying a concrete pitch inside the house, ‘Maharaj’ had everything at his disposal from a young age. And also the support from brother, Snehasish, through thick and thin.

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Snehasish continues to be that brother, rubbishing the ‘hype’ created around Saturday’s showdown between Dada and the Knight Riders. “Sourav has conquered mountains. This is nothing compared to the situations he has been in. This is not even an international match. I think he should just go and enjoy his cricket,” Snehasish told HT on Friday.

But will Eden dress up for KKR or for their Dada? “It’s a very difficult question,” said Snehasish. Then came the frank admission when asked about Sourav’s struggle to score at a quick pace. “It can’t be denied that he isn’t the same old Sourav. He’s 39 now and it’s difficult to expect the same form that he showed a few years ago. That’s not possible,” said Snehasish, under whom Ganguly took his first steps towards competitive cricket.

“This is professional cricket and perhaps Shah Rukh Khan felt Sourav didn’t fit into his plans any longer. That’s fine,” said Snehasish. “Shah Rukh endorses a lot of brands for a certain number of years. So if a brand doesn’t want to renew the contract does it mean that he is not a superstar anymore?” asked Snehasish.

“It was a business decision. And we were absolutely fine after that. Nobody reacted in the family, not even Sourav.”