KOLKATA: Indian cricket great Sourav Gang­uly was discharged from hospital on Sunday after undergoing a second heart operation in a month, with doctors optimistic that he will make a full recovery.

The 48-year-old, who now heads the country’s powerful cricket board, was admitted to hospital in Kolkata last Wednesday after complaining of chest pains.

It was the second time this year that the former batsman had to be hospitalised, after being admitted in early January when he suffered a heart attack while exercising. He underwent an angioplasty and had a stent inserted to open up his clogged arteries.

During his second stint in hospital, two more stents were inserted, doctors said.

“Ganguly is absolutely OK,” one of the doctors treating Ganguly, Saptarshi Basu, said as the former left-handed opener left hospital. “His heart is very strong. We hope that he can resume his normal activities in a few weeks.”

Ganguly was feted by hundreds of youths outside the hospital and at his Kolkata home when he was discharged.

They threw rose petals at his car and shouted: “Welcome Dada [elder brother]. We are with you.” Ganguly was unanimously elected president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the sport’s most powerful body in the country, in 2019.

He had retired from Test cricket in 2008 having accumulated 7,212 runs including 16 centuries — his first made at Lord’s on debut. He also scored 11,363 runs in 311 One-day Internationals.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2021