The 2001 Test series was an iconic one for India. The mighty Australian team under Steve Waugh was dominating cricket at the time and beating them was a huge achievement for Team India and the then, newly-appointed captain Sourav Ganguly. It was the start of a change in Indian cricket as they started playing with a more aggressive outlook under Ganguly. However, apart from upsetting the Aussies with the series win, there was another reason that left Waugh displeased with Ganguly.
Waugh has stated several times that he was annoyed by Ganguly in the 2001 series as he used to come late for the toss. The former Aussie batsman has maintained that it was against etiquette for Ganguly to do so.
In a recent conversation with India batsman Mayank Agarwal on the latest episode of ‘Open Nets with Mayank’, Ganguly explained his side of the story. In a video uploaded on BCCI official Twitter webiste, Ganguly maintained that it was an accident as he left his blazer in the dressing room.
“Having said that, Steve Waugh is a friend and I have tremendous respect for him as a cricketer. It was all in good humour.”
Former England skipper Nasser Hussain had also talked about Ganguly coming late for the toss and how he hated him for that.
“But now I work with him for the last decade on commentary, he’s such a nice, calm, he’s still late for his commentary stints, but he is a lovely bloke. And that’s the way cricketers should be. When you play with him or against him, you don’t like him and when you meet up with him later in life, they’re nice people.”
