Ravi Shastri and Sourav Ganguly are currently involved in a feud over the selection of Indian coach. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was on the interview board of Indian head coach selection team along with two other greats – VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar.
The interview panel selected Anil Kumble who was appointed as Indian head coach by the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI). But Shastri, who was the team director of India for 18 months, was one of the strongest contenders for the job.
But while Kumble came all the way from Bangalore to Kolkata to give the interview, Ravi Shastri was holidaying in Bangkok. As Ravi Shastri appeared for the interview, Ganguly left the panel saying that he had a CAB meeting.
Shastri got angry and revealed that Ganguly left the panel when he came online to give the interview. He then said Ganguly was disrespectful to him.
And Ganguly after two days blasted Shastri and said the latter made the issue too personal. And Ganguly further said if Shastri believes he failed to be Indian coach because of him then he is ‘living in fool’s world’.
However, BCCI secretary asked both of them to calm down.
But this is not the first time Ganguly and Shastri made news, in 1991-1992 India had had a long tour of Australia. Sourav Ganguly made an ODI debut against the West Indies on 11 January in 1992 at Brisbane in Benson and Hedges Cup but got out for three runs. During the match, he was asked to carry the drinks for the Indian players on the field, but Ganguly refused to go.
When the news broke, Ganguly rubbished all the reports.
On the very Australian tour, Ravi Shastri was at the twilight of his career. He had created history by becoming the first Indian batsman to score a double-hundred against Australia on Australian soil.
Shastri scored 206 at Sydney Cricket Ground. The Test match is known for Shane Warne debut on whom Ravi Shastri was severe. So the last both Shastri and Ganguly made the headlines simultaneously were in 1992 but for contrasting reasons, as you can see from the above.