Javagal Srinath reflects on Sourav Ganguly's 2001 toss controversy

Former Indian pacer Javagal Srinath recently reflected on a controversial incident from the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Eden Gardens involving then-captain Sourav Ganguly and Australian skipper Steve Waugh.

During the Test match, Ganguly arrived late for the toss, an act viewed by some as gamesmanship that unsettled the Australian team. While Ganguly has previously maintained the delay was an honest mistake caused by forgetting his blazer due to nerves, Srinath stated that had he been the match referee, he would have disciplined the captain. "I would have banned Sourav for a few games!" Srinath said.

Despite the criticism regarding the toss incident, Srinath praised Ganguly's leadership and his contribution to developing legendary Indian cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Virender Sehwag. Srinath also noted the collective resolve within the Indian team during that era to restore the integrity of the sport following the match-fixing controversies of the late 1990s.