Daren Ganga came into the West Indies Test team in 1998 as a batsman in the middle order but he would go on to bat in the top three for the vast majority of his 48 Tests. Initially, Ganga struggled to nail down a regular place in the West Indies XI and he did not score a half century until his 15th Test innings, nearly three years after making his debut.

His most memorable innings in the Test arena came in 2003, with back-to-back centuries against an Australian attack featuring Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie and Stuart MacGill first in Guyana and then at his home ground in Trinidad. Those innings hinted at the talent that the compact right-hander possessed, but he would only ultimately add one more century to his tally in the game’s longest form.

Ganga’s career received a second wind with the advent of T20 and he was found to be an astute captain with an understanding of the nuances of the new format that others were yet to appreciate. In his role as captain, Ganga tasted domestic success as he led Trinidad & Tobago to victory in the 2008 Stanford 20/20, a win that saw them qualify for the 2009 Champions League T20. There, Ganga led T&T to the final where they were beaten by New South Wales.

Despite never possessing the explosive hitting capabilities of some of his countrymen, Ganga’s input as captain in T20 cricket was highly valued. His 2009 T&T side contained Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, players who would go on to become West Indies greats in the shortest format. Ganga never reached those heights as a player, but his contribution to the success of others should not be underestimated.