Did Rahul Dravid sabotage Sourav Ganguly’s chance to play in the 2007 T20 WC?

Rahul Dravid told selectors that Ganguly won’t be available for the tournament

Did Rahul Dravid sabotage Sourav Ganguly’s chance to play in the 2007 T20 WC?

Ganguly (R) and Dravid (L) (image viac cricket world)

Cricket administrator, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, had released his biography in March 2022. The autobiography was called “On board: My years in the BCCI”. It spoke about his tenure in the BCCI as the Indian team manager in the late 90s to him retiring after becoming the General Manager of game development in 2018. 

The book contains many interesting events, such as Rahul Dravid resigning after the 2007 World Cup, captain Virat Kohl falling out with head coach Anil Kumble and how Ganguly didn’t play the 2007 T20I World Cup. 

https://youtu.be/IaUeGkHHDSM

Dravid has spoken with Ratnakar Shetty and told him that Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and himself had made themselves unavailable for the first ever T20I World Cup. They believed that it was a ‘young man’s game’ and asked Shetty to inform the then selector, Dilip Vengsarkar the same. Shetty asked Dravid to tell this to Dilip himself and Dravid informed Dilip the trio’s decision. 

Keeping this in mind, the selectors decided a 30 players probables with Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly not in them. Later Shetty was informed by then BCCI chairman, Sharad Pawar, that Ganguly was in fact available for selection. Rahul Dravid had shared the wrong information. It was too late for Ganguly as the probables were announced. 

This didn’t affect much, as the Indian team, led by MS Dhoni, won the inaugural T20I World Cup. Dravid and Tendulkar played only one T20I whereas Ganguly never featured in the format. The only T20 the trio played regularly was the IPL. 

Related: “Kohli should play whatever cricket he wants to play” Sourav Ganguly tells Shoaib Akhtar after he says Virat Kohli should retire from white-ball cricket

Virat Kohli was not happy with Anil Kumble as he didn’t stand up for players

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Anil Kumble having a conversation with Virat Kohli (Image via the Hindu)

Shetty also wrote about the falling out Kohli and Kumble had in 2017. Kohli and a few players didn’t want Kumble as the head coach anymore, with there being a very tense atmosphere in the dressing room. 

Shetty also wrote about a meeting that occurred before the 2017 Champions Trophy finals. In the meeting Kohli said he was unhappy with Kumble as he didn’t stand up for his players. Kumble was then replaced by Ravi Shashtri.

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