'You don't become Narendra Modi in one day': Sourav Ganguly becomes Bandhan Bank's Brand Ambassador

Kolkata-headquartered private sector lender Bandhan Bank announced on Thursday that it has roped in former cricketer Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador. The Bank said that Ganguly will help amplify the brand message of the company and endorse the products and services of the Bank as both share the same common values. 

Speaking about the development, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, MD, and CEO, Bandhan Bank, said Ganguly had been instrumental in transforming the Indian cricket team in the early 2000s, just like Bandhan Bank, which led the transformation of not-so-privileged households in rural and semi-urban India. 

“Ganguly has been one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team due to his foresight, dedication, and commitment to the game. There is a lot of congruence in the values that Sourav and Bandhan Bank embody. He is also a global icon and commands respect from all quarters. We are confident that this partnership will help us garner more attention, leading to greater awareness of the brand, and thus propelling us further in our growth story," the Bank said in a statement. 

Ganguly, who is the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, has been in the news after he was removed from the top job. It was recently revealed that former cricket Roger Binny likely would be his successor as he was the only one to file his nomination for the election to be held on October 18. Ganguly’s exit became evident when his name did not feature among options for the top post during a high-profile meeting of senior past BCCI administrators in New Delhi last week, as per news reports.

An official statement on the matter is still pending, although Ganguly has confirmed that he will 'move on to something else'. "I have been an administrator and I will move on to something else," he said at the event. 

"I never believed in history but the feeling in the past was [that] East lacked talent to play at that level. You don't become an Ambani or Narendra Modi in one day. You have to work for months and years to get there," he further said.