KOLKATA: Sourav Ganguly has decided to felicitate the members of the Bangladesh squad that played their country's first-ever Test match against India in 2000, a game where the BCCI president-elect made his debut as Test captain.
The match that was held at Dhaka's Bangabandhu Stadium in November 2000, was start of a new era in Indian cricket with Ganguly taking charge of the Test team, having already led the team in the ODIs.
India won that match by nine wickets against Naimur Rahman Durjoy's team.
The team had prominent players like future Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar, left-arm spinner Mohammed Rafique, pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto, Akram Khan, Aminul Islam Bulbul.
The felicitation will happen during India's World Test Championship match against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens from November 22-26.
"We will invite all the players of that first Test match that Bangladesh played, it was against India. I will write to the Bangladesh Cricket Board and personally as BCCI president to the players of that Indian team. We will do a small felicitation ceremony at the end of the first day's play," Ganguly told reporters at the Eden Gardens.
He also informed that Bangladesh PM Hasina will be in attendance on the first day of the match and ring the Eden Gardens' giant bell to signal the start.
"The Bangladesh PM will be arriving on November 22. If all goes well, she will ring the bell (to signal the start) of the Test," Ganguly said.
The BCCI president-elect also said that he will personally invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to watch the proceedings.