Ganguly, Anjum Chopra, Pietersen inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

The International Cricket Council on Saturday inducted former Indian men's and women's skipper Sourav Ganguly and Anjum Chopra into its prestigious Hall of Fame. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen too joined his Indian counterparts in the coveted list during a glittering ceremony in Edinburgh. "I am delighted to welcome the latest inductees into the ICC Hall of Fame, a tribute to the extraordinary individuals whose achievements have contributed greatly to our sport," Jay Shah, ICC Chairman, said.
Ganguly, considered one of India's best captains, played 113 Tests and 311 ODIs. He started his Test career against England in 1996 and made two hundreds in his first two Tests. In all, he scored 7212 runs at an average of 42.17 in Test cricket and 11,363 at 41.02 in ODIs. He formed a prolific opening pair with Sachin Tendulkar. The two opened together 136 times, adding a record 6609 runs with 21 century stands.  He took over the side after the 2000 match-fixing saga and made India a formidable side outside India. Under his captaincy, India won the NatWest Series in England in 2002. In Test cricket, Ganguly's side beat Australia 2-1 in the famous 2000-01 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home before drawing 1-1 in Australia in 2003-04.
England's Pietersen played 104 Tests, scoring 8181 runs at 47.28. In his very first Test series, the 2005 Ashes, he played a key role in England winning the urn after 17 years with a stroke-filled 158 at The Oval on the final day of the series. In 2012-13, he was also instrumental in England winning a Test series in India for the first time in 28 years. Known for his flamboyant strokeplay, including the switch hit, Pietersen also scored 4440 runs in 136 ODIs, and was the Player of the Tournament in England's 2010 T20 World Cup win.
Chopra, a left-hand batter who captained India in all three formats, made her international debut in 1995. She was the first Indian woman to reach 1000 ODI runs and the first to play 100 ODIs. She also made notable contributions for India in the 2000 and 2005 ODI World Cups. Overall, she scored 2856 runs in 127 ODIs. She played 12 Tests, scoring 548 runs with a best of 98 that came in the 2006 victory over England in Taunton. She also captained India to their overseas Test victory, in South Africa in 2002.
Launched in January 2009 as part of the ICC's centenary celebrations, the ICC Hall of Fame honours those whose achievements, skill and lasting influence have shaped the game. Players become eligible for induction only five years after their final international appearance.