Former India captain Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital after suffering 'mild heart attack'

President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly was rushed to a hospital in Kolkata after complaining of chest pains, a doctor said. AFP

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who also heads the country's cricket board (BCCI), was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata on Saturday after complaining of chest pain.

The Woodlands Hospital in state capital Kolkatasaid in a statement that Ganguly complained of chest discomfort while exercising on a tread mill at his home gym and tests showed he had suffered a mild heart attack.

Ganguly, 48, was stable and was undergoing angioplasty, the statement added.

A doctor at the private hospital, who did not want to be identified, said a medical board would be formed to decide on the line of treatment.

"A multi-disciplinary board of doctors is looking into his case to find out what caused the illness," the doctor told AFP.

"His condition is stable now."

One of India's most successful captains, 48-year-old Ganguly, who hails from the state of West Bengal, took over as the BCCI president in 2019.

His transition from a player to top administrator was seen as a natural progression for a former captain who helped India emerge from a damaging match-fixing scandal in 2000.

"Sad to hear that @SGanguly99 suffered a mild cardiac arrest and has been admitted to hospital," Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, said on Twitter.

Messages poured in on social media from the cricketing community wishing Ganguly, fondly known as "dada" or "elder brother", a speedy recovery.

"I wish and pray for the speedy recovery of @SGanguly99. I've spoken to his family. Dada is stable and is responding well to the treatment," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on Twitter.

Ganguly was instrumental in organising the Indian Premier League in the UAE last year after the tournament was moved due to the number of Covid-19 cases in India.

The left-handed opener retired from Test cricket in 2008 having accumulated 7,212 runs including 16 centuries - his first made at Lord's on his debut.

He also scored 11,363 runs in 311 one-day internationals and led India to 21 Test wins.