Former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath recently stated he would have banned Sourav Ganguly for a few matches if he had been the match referee during the famous 2001 Eden Gardens Test. Srinath, now an ICC match referee, made the comments at a recent event in Chennai. He was referring to the incident where then-India captain Ganguly made his Australian counterpart, Steve Waugh, wait at the toss.[newsable+2]
Srinath Emphasizes Discipline
Javagal Srinath expressed a firm belief in discipline and adherence to cricketing rules. He indicated that Ganguly's delay in appearing for the toss was a breach of conduct that warranted strong action. Srinath's comments reignited discussion about the memorable moment from the historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.[newsable+1]
"If I were the match referee, I would have banned Sourav for a couple of matches," Srinath said.[newsable+2]
The incident happened during the second Test of the 2001 series between India and Australia, played from March 11 to 15 in Kolkata.Sourav Ganguly himself later clarified that the delay was unintentional, stating he could not find his blazer before the toss.However, the delay was widely seen as a psychological tactic by Ganguly to unsettle Steve Waugh and his dominant Australian team.[en+5]
The Iconic 2001 Eden Test
The 2001 Eden Gardens Test is etched in cricket history as one of the greatest Test matches ever played. Australia, under Steve Waugh, arrived in India having won 16 consecutive Tests and were considered the best team in the world.They had comfortably won the first Test in Mumbai.[en+3]
In the Kolkata Test, Australia posted 445 runs in their first innings. India was then bowled out for just 171, forcing Steve Waugh to enforce the follow-on.This decision led to one of Test cricket's most remarkable comebacks.VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid then batted for almost two full days, forging a record 376-run partnership for the fifth wicket.Laxman scored 281 runs, and Dravid made 180, completely turning the game around.India declared their second innings at 657 for 7.[en+9]
Harbhajan Singh played a pivotal role with the ball, taking 13 wickets in the match, including India's first-ever Test hat-trick in the first innings.Sachin Tendulkar also contributed with crucial wickets on the final day.India went on to win the match by 171 runs, becoming only the third team in Test history to win after being forced to follow on.India ultimately won the three-match series 2-1, a victory that significantly boosted Indian cricket.[yardbarker+9]
Ganguly's Leadership and Indian Cricket's Transformation
Despite his critical remarks about the toss incident, Srinath also praised Sourav Ganguly's leadership qualities. He highlighted Ganguly's exceptional ability to identify and nurture young talent.Srinath specifically mentioned players like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Virender Sehwag, who became vital figures in Indian cricket's next generation.[timesofindia+5]
Srinath believes that Indian cricket underwent a major transformation after the match-fixing scandal of the late 1990s.He noted that players developed a collective resolve to restore the game's image and prove that cricket was clean.India's overseas win record, which was poor from 1991 to 1997-98, began to improve significantly after 1999 under Ganguly's captaincy.[timesofindia+10]
The former fast bowler recalled recommending Zaheer Khan to national selector Chandu Borde after seeing Khan take six wickets for the MRF Pace Foundation.When Borde jokingly asked about Srinath's own spot, Srinath responded, "If the boy is good, he will take my place."[timesofindia+3]
The match referee for the 2001 Eden Test was Cammie Smith from the West Indies.Srinath's comments underscore his firm stance on maintaining the integrity and discipline of the game, a principle he upholds in his current role as an ICC match referee. His remarks bring renewed attention to an iconic moment in cricket history and the differing views on gamesmanship versus rule adherence.[newsable]
