Eden diary: Dada, CAB president 2.0, back to multi-tasking ahead of Test

Being the president of a host state association before a marquee cricket match in India is no easy job, but it gets tougher when you're Sourav Ganguly. The run-up to the India-South Africa Test match at Eden Gardens, his first major assignment since taking guard as Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president for a second time, defines that in no uncertain ways.

The former India captain, 'Dada' in cricketing circles, has been there and done that as an organiser — whether as helmsman of CAB when it hosted the rain-affected India-Pakistan game and final of the 2016 T20 World Cup, or masterminding the Pink Ball Test against Bangladesh six years back as BCCI president.

As the well-oiled machinery goes about its job, Ganguly is multi-tasking again — trying to create a buzz to ensure that spectators turn up in decent numbers to show that there is still an apetite for the long format in his city, managing the expectations of Gautam Gambhir & Co. for the ‘right’ kind of wicket, while squeezing in time for yet another brand ambassador role for a UK-based AI and sports technology firm.

There has never been a dull moment in his new avatar, starting with starring in a hastily arranged felicitation for Richa Ghosh, the Bengal girl who played a key role as keeper-batter during India's ICC Women's World Cup triumph, last Friday.  

Speaking to the media during an informal chat on Monday, Ganguly announced that the Test is a sellout, though the demand for tickets looked modest at least until Wednesday. A sizeable crowd gathered outside the venue for some star-gazing as Shubman Gill & Co. trooped in after their practice session, but the feedback from the CAB's affiliated clubs — who pick up the bulk of prized tickets — has been far from encouraging.

Meanwhile, Kabuni, a UK-based company which announced Ganguly as its brand ambassador on Monday, promised to create a module which aims to provide professional coaching for children with their sports tech platform and device. Kabuni is an AI and multi-language model platform that learns from the game itself, drawing on decades of cricket data, player movement and coaching knowledge to deliver personalised, data-driven coaching through your phone or a Kabuni device.

A press release says it breaks down every movement from a cover drive to a bowling action into measurable insights and real-time feedback delivered via video, image, text and voice. “Quality coaching allows children to learn better, faster and live healthier lives. This level of coaching was only available for professionals, but now it is for everyone,” Ganguly said.