Sourav Ganguly invited to be India's Goodwill Ambassador for Olympics 2020

Former Indian cricket captain and current President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been invited by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to be the Goodwill Ambassador of the nation and the contingent for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Also Read: A look at the Indian athletes qualified so far 2020 Tokyo Olympics

IOA secretary Rajeev Mehta wrote a letter to the left-handed Ganguly, stating, “The IOA extends the honour to you to be the Goodwill Ambassador of Team India to the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020. We hope you will generously extend your support for Team India.”

“You are an inspiration for a billion people, especially the youth. As an administrator you have always nurtured young talent. We are hopeful your association with Team India to the Tokyo 2020 would be a boost for our young athletes and a privilege for the Olympic movement in India,” Mehta said.

This edition of the Summer Games will mark hundred years of participation of the country at the Olympics. However, the nation has not exactly set the grand event alight with their showings, bringing back just 28 medals from 31 editions.

Their best haul of six medals - at the London 2012 Olympics - did not have any athlete returning with a gold. The performance in 2012 had given the country hope of a better performance in the 2016 Rio Games, but the Indian contingent returned with just two medals. PV Sindhu clinched a historical silver in the women's single badminton event while wrestler Sakshi Malik won bronze.

Mehta is hopeful that Ganguly's presence and his support will inspire the Indian athletes to give it their all in Tokyo, and return with a double-digit haul, which will truly set the precedent for future glory.

Also Read: Prediction for India’s medal tally at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The Games will begin from July 24 and will end on August 9.

Sixty three Indian athletes players have qualified for the multi-national event thus far, with javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra becoming the latest to join the bandwagon.