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Srinath Says He Would Have Banned Ganguly for 2001 Eden Gardens Toss

He framed the comment as part of a wider reassessment that credits Ganguly with nurturing young players while India rebuilt after the match‑fixing era.

Overview

  • Javagal Srinath, speaking on Sunday, August 9, 2026, said he would have suspended Sourav Ganguly for a few games over the late arrival at the toss in the 2001 Eden Gardens Test.
  • The 2001 episode involved Ganguly keeping Australia captain Steve Waugh waiting for the toss, an act long described as gamesmanship that unsettled the visitors during a series India ultimately won 2–1.
  • Srinath balanced his critique by praising Ganguly’s captaincy for promoting players such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag and helping change the team’s culture.
  • He also recalled recommending Zaheer Khan to selector Chandu Borde after watching Zaheer take six wickets for the MRF Pace Foundation and saying, 'If he’s good, he replaces me.'
  • Srinath placed his remarks in the larger context of Indian cricket’s post‑match‑fixing recovery, and the comments are a retrospective reassessment rather than a call for new disciplinary action.