Russel Arnold’s banter with Sourav Ganguly during the Champions Trophy 2002 is the most famous tussle between the two cricketers. However, the former Sri Lankan player has now revealed that it was a funny banter but was exaggerated and wrongly publicized.
The Champions Trophy 2002 is remembered for the bizarre end because bother India, and Sri Lanka’s team was handed over the trophy after rain spoiled the game. But the game is also recalled because of the then captain Sourav’s fight with the Sri Lankan spinner Russel.
Russel Arnold Recalls the whole incident, which included Sourav Ganguly:
Russel, who was at the striking end, stepped in the danger area of the pitch. Following which, Ganguly and the then wicketkeeper Rahul Dravid warned him which was captured in the camera.
Speaking to R Ashwin in the India off-spinners latest episode of Reminisce with Ash on Instagram, Russel Arnold said it’s a bit easy to provoke Sourav Ganguly up.
“It was the 2002 Champions Trophy, I think. We were playing in Sri Lanka. We were about 200 I think. I remember I had played a delicate late cut and then took 2-3 steps down the wicket,” Russel Arnold said.
“Okay, I can be honest now. It’s been 18 years now. I took 2-3 steps down. Everyone does it. Sourav Ganguly came up immediately and made some noise, confronted me,” Arnold added.
“Nothing happened. Then Rahul Dravid told me ‘Russ, don’t run on the (danger area) of the pitch’. It was just banter,” Russel Arnold said.
“When we are playing with Sourav… he is a fierce competitor. He will give as good as he gets. It’s also a bit easy to wind him up. He always has replies. It was good banter. Nothing more than that. It’s all in the game. It was all in the game.
Sourav Ganguly was the aggressive player as well as a captain. The former Indian captained never feared taking up the challenge irrespective of the opposition. The fans, who have seen Ganguly playing, would clearly remember his competitive attitude in the field.