Sourav Ganguly's childhood coach Ashok Mustafi dies after prolonged illness

Former Indian cricket captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly’s first coach Ashok Mustafi passed away on Thursday after a prolonged illness. Mustafi is survived by a daughter, who resides in London. Ganguly's coach was suffering from heart-related ailments and was admitted to a hospital in April. In fact, since that month itself, Sourav Ganguly had taken the responsibility of covering all the finances of Mustafi's treatment.

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Sourav Ganguly coach passes away after prolonged illness

The childhood Sourav Ganguly coach, Ashok Mustafi trained the BCCI President at the Dukhiram Coaching Centre in Kolkata. Sourav Ganguly's cricketing journey began after holding the hands of his first coach. This centre was once called the lighthouse of Bengal cricket for the number of talented cricketers it produced, much like Ramakant Achrekar did for Mumbai. While speaking to PTI, a family source said that Mustafi was suffering from heart-related ailments and was admitted to a hospital in April. The source added that he suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last.

According to a PTI report, Sourav Ganguly and his friend Sanjay Das had made all the arrangements for his coach, whose conditions started to worsen last month. The report also stated that in 1992, Mustafi joined Howrah Union before associating himself with a coaching centre near his residence in Salt Lake City.

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Sourav Ganguly hung his boots from international cricket with an amazing average in Tests and ODIs. The southpaw amassed 7212 runs in the longest format at an average of 42.17 and also scored 11363 runs in the ODIs at an average of 41.02. Sourav Ganguly scored over 38 tons and 107 half-centuries in his successful international career.

When it comes to Sourav Ganguly's own health, the Ganguly coronavirus report came back negative recently. The BCCI President had given his samples as a precautionary measure after his elder brother Snehashish Ganguly coronavirus reports had come positive. Ganguly has also been quarantined at home since the last two weeks. 

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Sourav Ganguly has been at the helm of Indian cricket for almost a year now and is expected to keep off his duties as his six-year tenure nears an end. As per the Lodha Committee reforms, Ganguly is expected to begin his 'cooling-off' period. However, the board is pushing for an extension of his tenure and for the former Indian captain to continue as the President. The Supreme Court is likely to take up the case in the first few weeks of August. Ganguly's extension has been deemed necessary with the IPL 2020 being held in UAE under unprecedented circumstances.

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IMAGE COURTESY: SOURAV GANGULY INSTAGRAM