'Not the next Bengal CM but Team India's head coach,' hints Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that he is not interested in joining politics ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. When asked whether he would consider entering politics or even if offered the Chief Minister's post, Ganguly responded, “I am not interested.” He repeated the same response when asked again.

Ganguly, who retired from competitive cricket in 2013, served as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and as Team Director of Delhi Capitals during 2018–19 and 2022–24. He stated, “I never really thought about it because I got into different roles. I finished (competitive cricket) in 2013 and then became Board President.”

Regarding his future in cricket, Ganguly said he is open to coaching the Indian national team. “We’ll see what the future holds. I’m just 50 (53), so let’s see what happens. I’m open to it. We’ll see where it goes,” he said during the interview. As BCCI President, Ganguly highlighted his contribution to promoting women’s cricket.

Ganguly also spoke about the current Indian team coach Gautam Gambhir. He said Gambhir had a slow start, with initial losses to Australia and New Zealand, but recovered with the Champions Trophy victory. He described Gambhir as passionate and straightforward. “He sees things clearly, and he’s very open about what he feels, about the team, players, people, everything.”

Reflecting on their time together as players, Ganguly said Gambhir always showed respect towards senior teammates. “I’ve played with him. He was a great guy with a lot of respect for me and the senior players.” On Gambhir’s coaching journey, Ganguly added, “He’s just a year into the job, and this will be an important (England) tour. He struggled a bit in Australia, but just like everyone else, he’ll learn, he’ll grow, and he’ll become better.”