I have to admit I am never into cricket…..well…with some exceptions with Allan Donald, Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly.
I was a just teen when these trio was ruling my cricket world. Donald retired at first among them, Saurav is next and Sachin is still playing the role of God of cricket. 
I am sure all of you know about their records and techniques and everything better than me. I am very bad at keeping records and tracks of something. So I am not going to give any trivia to add to the burden of your memory. I would just like to tell a personal story of mine.
It was just after The Lord’s triumph (1996) of Saurav Ganguly…..suddenly a boy from Behala, Biren Roy Road became heart-throb of millions of teenager girls like me. I was a snob to admit that he had done something great for not that I believe any great deed lasts only until the next but for the sheer love for arguing with friends. Deep down under I was also cheering for him.
One of my friend named Dona (Not his future wife) gone crazy for Ganguly. She started fantasizing him and was sharing every bit of it with me. I was also carried out by her passion for him and decided to talk to him. Then in our frenzy we hunt his phone number, which was readily available on the telephone directory then and the young owner of STD booth was ready to help these two would be loyal customers. We started ringing him everyday twice while returning home from school in turns. At that time it cost 35 paisa per call which we had to pay in turns.
The call was unattended most of the time.But sometimes it was answered by their servants, sometimes by his elder brother Snehasis Ganguly (who is a very sweet person we found, he was always very patient to this crazy act of ours), sometimes by his mother even once by his father but it was never HIM. Friends were making fun of us for our fanatics. But two crazy friends were on mission to just talk to him.We practised hours in what to say exactly on phone if we ever got lucky to have him on the other side…..but it was a long wait.
After near month-long trial it was a lazy saturday afternoon and we were returning home from school. We were on the STD booth to call the precious no. It was my turn that day. I dialled 033…… and his mother answered the call. This day was a lucky day as she decided to fulfil our wish.If there is any fairy-god-mother on earth….its she for us.Saurav Ganguly was there and busy with a press interview …. she told us to wait. After a millennium long 5 minutes he was there to accept my best wishes. He also talked with my friend and the booth-owner. He was so mesmerizing with his firm accents and smile in his voice. Total incident was of about 8 minutes. We were just floating in joy. The booth-owner dada dint took the money that day…to establish the famous say….”best moments in life comes free.” He also became delighted to cherish those golden moments. That was a memorable day in our life…3rd August,1996…We accomplished our mission to talk to Saurav Ganguly.
Little Saurav
Later my elder sister is married to a cricketer of Kolkata Knight Riders and we met Saurav Ganguly in person but that thrill was incomparable to the feel we got on that fateful afternoon..I and Dona often cherish those golden moments when we are low…..it makes us believe if you have a dream and you truly believe in it…it comes true.
Random and Often Idiotic 