Sourav Ganguly, who at Goafest 2024 spoke about how he ‘adapted to thrive’ when he was dropped from team India, caught up with Manifest the next day while driving to the airport.
 
During our conversation, he recounted his first ad shoot, the dance-off with Hrithik Roshan for Hero Motocorp, and what he believes ‘Brand Ganguly’ stands for.

Talking about his early days in the advertising arena, the former Indian captain said, “My first ad film shoot was for Parry’s Confectionery. I swapped my India jersey for the chocolate brand. I was 23 years old back then. It was a different experience being in front of the camera for an ad film shoot. I was extremely shy, but slowly with time I got freer in front of the camera.”

A glance through Ganguly’s social media page does reveal that he has become more camera-free for sure, as he has several endorsements for both national brands as well as those targeting West Bengal as a market.

Some of the recent brand endorsements include DreamSetGo, Rich Marie, Lloyd Air Conditioners, Thums Up, Magik (from CenturyPly), Dabur and My11Circle.

When asked about the ‘filters’ he has before signing on a deal, he said, “I look for the credibility of the organisation and also the product. It’s about what the company is trying to sell and the other products they manufacture, before signing on a deal.”

One ad that audiences recall to date is for Hero Motocorp (erstwhile Hero Honda), which saw Ganguly dance alongside Hrithik Roshan as part of its ‘desh ki dhadkan’ (heartbeat of the country) campaign.

“I was not a good dancer at all. I agreed to that script because I was a brand ambassador for Hero Honda for nine years. They had just signed Hrithik. It was soon after Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai and he was a rage in the country. They wanted to do this commercial. Brands always try to make the most out of the current situation so that’s what it was,” he said.

Brand Ganguly

Ganguly, who made his Test debut in 1996 with a 100 at Lord’s had an international playing career of 12 years. He retired from the IPL in 2012 before taking on the role of the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India between 2019 and 2022.

And cricket remains in his blood. When asked what he believes ‘Brand Ganguly’ is, he retains the cricket angle. “I’m a simple, straightforward person who has played more than 400 games for team India,” he says.

When it comes to brand deals, Ganguly is reaping the reward of the hard work on the cricket field. While deals are still coming in for Ganguly, many believe that it’s only the duration of the playing career that makes an athlete a brand favourite.

With the endorsements, comes the added pressure of performing on the cricket field though, as the fanatics can turn their backs on players when they stop performing and criticise them for taking on too many commercials.

“That’s not the case, and I’d tell the current lot to not worry about this. What they need to do is just perform on the cricket field. Every player gives his best, and every player tries. Sometimes they perform, sometimes they don’t,” he adds.

During his talk at Goafest, Ganguly revealed that before he made his debut, Sportstar publication had called him a ‘quota player’ and believed he didn’t deserve the India call-up. He further added that he read the magazine only when he got back to India and had he seen it before, it might have led to a different performance on the cricket field.

Now, with social media around, players are hounded, and each performance is scrutinised across platforms.

So how can a player deal with it?

“Players have to find a way to keep it (social media trolling) away,” he suggests.

While he was a brand favourite, Ganguly had only one dream brand to work with.

“The only dream brand was the BCCI and Indian cricket, and I’m happy to have achieved that,” he stated. Just before the drive concluded, we asked him about how he dealt with the pressure of representing team India.

“I just looked at performance and found ways to perform. I didn’t want to complicate things for myself. I enjoyed playing for India and kept it simple,” he concluded.

And enjoy he did. Whether it was the debut 100 at Lord’s, the t-shirt being swung in the dressing room of the same stadium, a dream run in South Africa till the final of the ODI World Cup in 2003, or winning a Test and ODI series in Pakistan as captain, he achieved it all.

This article first appeared in the June print issue of Manifest. Subscribe to Manifest here.