It's the end of a phenomena called Saurav Ganguly, arguably the best Indian captain. He might not have brought India the coveted World Cup, but he has taken the team very very close to winning it, importantly to newer levels where it was never before. He was the first captain who was a leader in true sense.

Neither Tendulkar's tons nor Kumble's wickets could do the magic that Ganguly's leadership did. As the leader in charge, Ganguly believed in the abilities of people than their resumes. The Dhonis, Yuvrajs, Sehwags and Harbhajans are all the result of this attitude. He replaced fear with aggression and always tried to give it back to the opposition. The increased number of wins against Pakistan post Ganguly's takeover as captain stands as a testament to this. The current Indian team's never-say-die atttitude and the unsatiable desire to win are all his legacy. He never shied away from calling a spade a spade and took a few decisions which seemed harsh but were just. He made a cricketer like Anil Kumble sit out during the 2003 World Cup.

You might hesitate to add the adjective 'great' while talking about his batting abilities or his conduct but would love to add a better adjective to describe his leadership qualities.

Now that the team is in the safe hands of someone like Dhoni, who was groomed by him, Ganguly can sit back and watch his team mates conquer the world leisurely.

Adios mate!