India’s 2007 World T20 winner Irfan Pathan has revealed that former captain Sourav Ganguly intentionally went late for the toss.
He recalled an incident from his debut series against Australia in 2003-04 down under, when he made Steve Waugh wait for the toss.
“On my first tour of Australia, when he made Steve Waugh wait, I remember it clearly. I would be in the dressing room and I remember whenever it was time for the toss, Dada used to look at the clock, and the manager would remind him that it’s time to go out for the toss,” Pathan said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.
Infamous for his lateness, the likes of Waugh and Nasser Hussain, England’s then captain had expressed their frustrations with Ganguly repeatedly making them wait for the coin toss.
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Pathan while recalling that story, also revealed that before the Sydney Test of that series, which was Steve Waugh’s last Test, even Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t persuade Ganguly to turn up in time for the toss.
“During the Sydney Test, I remember it was Sachin paaji who said ‘Dada, you should go. It’s time for the toss’. But Dada would take his sweet time to put on his shoes, sweater; adjusting his cap,” Pathan said.
“When a person is getting late, the pressure becomes visible on his face but Dada would never be in a hurry,” he signed off.