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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has inspired a generation of youngsters to take up cricket. In a surprising story, a 12-year-old fan traveled 115 kilometers to meet Ganguly on his 52nd birthday on Monday, July 8. This comes 16 years after the legendary batter retired from international cricket.
The kid dreams of becoming a great cricketer like Ganguly, but his parents oppose his idea. To persuade his father, the Class VII student traveled from Kotulpur in Bankura to Behala in West Bengal, hoping to convince Ganguly to change his father’s mindset.
According to the Times of India report, the young fan had received pocket money to visit a local fair. He instead purchased a bus ticket to the railway station and then bought a ticket to Howrah before taking another bus to reach Behala.
In a surprise turn of events, Sourav Ganguly was away in London. The former India captain often visits the UK to spend quality time with his daughter Sana, who stays in London for higher education.
The young fan appeared hungry and lost when a traffic sergeant, Krishna Das, spotted him and took him to the barracks during the late hours. They arranged for his dinner and got his father’s phone number.
“Few precious moments” – Police promised the boy a meeting with Sourav Ganguly
In a happy ending, the police promised the boy a meeting with Sourav Ganguly before the kid was reunited with the family. The cop told the Times of India:
“The family had lodged a missing case with Bankura police. They were relieved that their son was traced. A relative from Baguiati even came down to meet him.”
Another police officer added that the father revealed that his son is undergoing psychological treatment.
“His father later explained that his son is under medicine relating to psychological issues. The boy told us that he wanted to talk to Ganguly for becoming a great cricketer like Dada. He said he was already 12 years old and wanted a chance to play cricket in a ground here, but his parents are opposed to his ideas.”
Sourav Ganguly has represented India in 113 Tests and 311 ODIs. He led India to the 2002 Champions Trophy (shared with Sri Lanka).
