Srinath says Ganguly deserved ban for 2001 toss delay

By Arjun Nair / 09.08.2026

By Arjun Nair — 9 August 2026 — 3 min read

Javagal Srinath has reflected on a notable incident from the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, involving former India captain Sourav Ganguly and Australia’s skipper Steve Waugh at Eden Gardens. The event centered on Ganguly’s delayed appearance for the toss, which was widely seen as a tactic to unsettle Waugh and the Australian team during the series that India ultimately won 2-1.

Srinath, a former pacer, recently shared his perspective on the disciplinary action he would have taken if he had been the match referee at the time. He stated that the delay warranted significant measures. “I would have banned Sourav for a few games!” Srinath remarked at an EEMAGINE event, recalling the incident. Ganguly later attributed his delay to being unable to locate his blazer, though this explanation has been debated.

Ganguly’s Leadership and Team Transformation

Beyond the toss controversy, Srinath also commended Ganguly’s leadership qualities during his tenure as India captain. He particularly highlighted Ganguly’s role in nurturing young talent who would later become crucial players for the national side. Srinath noted that Ganguly worked with emerging cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Virender Sehwag, all of whom became integral to India‘s success in subsequent years.

Srinath further reflected on the broader context of Indian cricket during that period. He observed that the sport underwent a significant transformation following the match-fixing controversies of the late 1990s. Players across the team developed a shared determination to restore cricket’s integrity and demonstrate that the game remained clean. “There was a bit of a resoluteness in each and every player to really put that image back and then prove the world that cricket is superior, cricket is clean,” Srinath stated.

He added that strong leadership from the top four or five players, who were aligned in their vision, helped India not only achieve consistent wins at home but also improve their performance overseas. Srinath recalled that between 1991 and 1997-98, India struggled to secure victories abroad, but this trend began to change from 1999 onwards.

Recollections and Future of Cricket

Srinath also shared an anecdote about recommending Zaheer Khan to selector Chandu Borde. He had observed the left-arm pacer taking six wickets against Air India while representing the MRF Pace Foundation. When Borde humorously asked what would happen to Srinath if Zaheer was selected, Srinath’s response was straightforward: “If he’s good, he replaces me.”

Looking back at the 2003 World Cup final against Australia, Srinath revealed his preference for India to bat first after team discussions. “I was one of the guys who said we should always bat first and then put them under pressure,” he explained. However, Ganguly held a different view. Srinath noted that once the decision was made, the team had to move forward, but Australia proved to be too strong on that occasion.

In a lighter vein, Srinath joked about Rahul Dravid not being the best roommate, mentioning Dravid’s habit of leaving items scattered. In contrast, he described Venkatesh Prasad as extremely meticulous. Srinath also cautioned against comparing young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, emphasizing that different eras present different challenges. He stressed that judging a player involves both white-ball and red-ball cricket, and expressed hope that Sooryavanshi would develop maturity and a strong mindset.

Furthermore, Srinath called for a better balance between bat and ball in the sport. He pointed to factors such as shorter boundaries, larger bats, and less pronounced seams as contributing to an imbalance. He concluded by stating that “Something needs to be done to bring some balance into this game.”

Srinath’s reflections provide insight into a pivotal period for Indian cricket, marked by both on-field controversies and significant leadership changes.

Source: sports.yahoo.com