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Sourav Ganguly reveals how Imran Khan helped him revive career after Greg Chappell episode

Abdullah719

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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly today (November 24) revealed how he was inspired by Pakistan legend Imran Khan's words when he was out of the national team following differences with coach Greg Chappell.

In the year 2005, Ganguly lost his captaincy and also a place in the Indian team. This was after several controversies with the then coach Chappell.

On Friday, recalling that "tough" phase where he was out of the national side, Ganguly said he was inspired by former Pakistan captain Imran.

"From 1995 to early 2006 the graph was only up. I never missed a series, I was the captaion of India for six years. And the world was at my feet. And suddenly you did not find yourself in the team. Not many captains in world cricket would go from not being captain to not even finding a position in the side. You look at MS Dhoni he is not the captain of the Indian team but look at the way Virat Kohli looks after him. Look at the way they go about the job," 45-year-old Ganguly told "India Today Conclave East 2017" in Kolkata.

He continued, "It was tough but it made me a better person. I once met Imran Khan in Lahore during that period. He was actually following Indian cricket. We have a fantastic relationship, Imran and myself. We don't keep in touch much. He said something to me which I always remember in life. When you fly high and see dark clouds you find a way to fly higher. I remembered those words during that period."

After being dropped from the team in December 2005, Ganguly made a comeback to the side in November 2006. He retired from international cricket in 2008 after a home Test series against Australia.

When he was out of the Indian team, Ganguly said he trained hard and recalled an incident when he was "so angry" that he ran 21 laps at Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens.

"I trained hard. I used to come to Eden Gardens. One day I got so angry because I wasn't getting picked and did not know the reason for not getting picked because I was scoring runs everywhere. In those 10 years I scored 10 and half thousand runs. I scored more than Sachin Tendulkar in one-day cricket during that period. But I never got picked in one-day cricket. So I did not know what to do.

"I was so angry that I started running at Eden Gardens. It was about 2006. I kept running at Eden Gardens. I kept running, running and running till I finished 21 laps. The last six or seven were just out of anger," he said.

Ganguly, one of India's finest captains, retired in November 2008. He played 113 Tests and 311 ODIs. Now he is the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

http://www.ibtimes.co.in/sourav-gan...ive-career-after-greg-chappell-episode-750647
 
Great dedication and motivation. Our useless lot could learn a thing or two from people like Ganguly. Instead of blaming others, do the hard work and you never know. But instead we get the roana dhoana from pindoo's.
 
He was the Indian captain for 6 years and was humiliated beyond belief, yet he didn't give up. He performed pretty well in domestics and once he was given another opportunity in the Test series against SA in late 2006, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands and was India's highest run scorer in that series at an average of 42 odd. From there on he kept performing well till his retirement.

I despised him beyond words till he made his comeback, mostly because of his arrogant attitude. But he completely won me over after his comeback. He appeared humble, never made any inflammatory statements and performed really well thereafter. And hearing his team mates speak on how much of a great guy he is and how as a captain he did everything he could to help his team mates and his team overall really makes me respect him so much. Sachin spoke so fondly of him in his book. I respect this man a lot now.
 
Great dedication and motivation. Our useless lot could learn a thing or two from people like Ganguly. Instead of blaming others, do the hard work and you never know. But instead we get the roana dhoana from pindoo's.

But our players gain weight from drinking water. They are scientific anamolies. Getting fitter costs them their form.
 
Great dedication and motivation. Our useless lot could learn a thing or two from people like Ganguly. Instead of blaming others, do the hard work and you never know. But instead we get the roana dhoana from pindoo's.

Fair play to Ganguly to run 21 laps on one occasion, but I would not count Ganguly as one for anyone to follow. A 15 year career and could not work out a way to play the short ball.

For the most part, he was known for being lazy and arrogant when it came to putting in the fitness work during his career. From what I remember, during the Greg Chappell saga, he was leaking stories to the press. Was also not afraid to leverage powerful support he had at his state association and the BCCI.

He is the classic example of a player from a privileged position using everything to cling onto his position and status.
 
Ganguly's comeback was a story book comebacks. He came back, performed reasonably well and eventually retired on his own terms after scoring a test double hundered.
 
One of the great, and fairly unique in modern sport, things about cricket is how former players (or sometimes even current players) are always willing to help out other players should they ask for advice or tips - irrespective of what nation they play for.
 
Gangulay is a champion! And only true champions burst through all obstacles to come forward.

For that he will always be respected.

IMO Chappell wanted to train Indians like Aussies which he failed to do.
 
From subcontinent their have been leaders captain
Imran from pak, ganguly from India, ranatunga from Lanka,had excellent eye for young talents.
 
Just goes to show what a legendary leader Imran Khan was. Arguably the best cricket captain of all time.
 
Cue in for a certain poster to come and post negative comments about Imran...as long as he is alive, he shall be here soon :-)
 
Great and well-deserved admiration for the legend Imran Khan.

Always rated Ganguly very highly. He was a mentally tough cricketer who fought hard in every match.
 
Ganguly is one of my favourite Indian players of all time. It's good to see that he didn't sulk after being dropped.
 
How much Ganguly lobbied hard for Greg Chappel to get the Indian Coaching job and how did Greg Chappel repay him? By demonizing him and having him dropped from the team in all formats.
 
How much Ganguly lobbied hard for Greg Chappel to get the Indian Coaching job and how did Greg Chappel repay him? By demonizing him and having him dropped from the team in all formats.

I am not commenting on the merits of dropping Ganguly here, but "I will scratch your back and in return you do the same" is not a good way to build the best team. Ganguly getting Greg should be a non-issue.
 
Highly unlikely but I think it would be fantastic if Ganguly could do some work with the current crop of young Pakistani batsmen.
 
I am not commenting on the merits of dropping Ganguly here, but "I will scratch your back and in return you do the same" is not a good way to build the best team. Ganguly getting Greg should be a non-issue.

Just goes to show what a failure Greg Chappel was after his playing days. Never found respect in any coaching assignment, even his State and Domestic Players speak ill of him.
 
Highly unlikely but I think it would be fantastic if Ganguly could do some work with the current crop of young Pakistani batsmen.

Don't see him working with even the Indian team. He seems headed and interested in administrative duties.
 
Just goes to show what a legendary leader Imran Khan was. Arguably the best cricket captain of all time.

That would be, Clive Lloyd and Allan border,one made windies invincible, the other created a culture on which mark Taylor, Waugh and ponting cashed in. These two are unarguably the two best captain of all time.
 
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