- Sourav Ganguly ignored Greg Chappell’s petition for Imran Khan.
- Ganguly cited Chappell’s past dishonesty as reason for non-response.
- Chappell secretly sought Ganguly’s removal from captaincy in 2005.
- Ganguly also revealed Chappell’s 2011 KKR coaching offer.
Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has extended his long-standing freeze against Greg Chappell by completely ignoring a recent message from the Australian regarding Pakistan PM Imran Khan. The legendary batsman refused to reply when the former national coach sought his signature for an international humanitarian petition demanding urgent medical care for the incarcerated former Pakistani Prime Minister.
Ganguly Rejected Chappell’s Petition For Imran Khan
The specific interaction occurred earlier this year when the Australian strategist attempted to assemble a coalition of former international captains to challenge the detention conditions of the Pakistani icon. While other high-profile figures chose to support the medical assistance initiative, the former Indian board chief elected to leave the communication completely unanswered.
“Yes, but I don’t answer him,” Ganguly told senior sports journalist Gautam Bhattacharya on the AddaGBPodcast when asked if he too received Chappell’s interest in signing the petition.
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A Defiant Stance Against Dishonesty
The executive explained that his complete lack of communication stems from a fundamental disapproval of how the foreign mentor operated during their highly controversial stint together with the national team.
“I don’t answer people who are not honest. You may have opinions. You may feel that someone is not a good player or an average player, but I don’t like people who take the wrong route to solve problems. I like people who tell me on my face that you are not good enough,” Ganguly added.
The Tumultuous History of the 2005 Fallout
The historic friction between the two sporting giants traces back to September 2005 when the coach secretly petitioned national administrators to remove the batsman from leadership duties. The subsequent administrative shift saw the iconic left-hander stripped of his captaincy and entirely omitted from the playing squad before mounting a spectacular personal comeback in South Africa.
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The incredible recovery allowed the veteran to finish his international playing journey on his own terms in late 2008, yet the personal scars from that period remained entirely unhealed. The former captain maintains that he has no interest in maintaining any superficial social relations with the individual who orchestrated his professional demotion.
The Bizarre Proposal to Reunite at Kolkata Knight Riders
The former administrator also uncovered a highly unexpected piece of franchise history by detailing a bizarre correspondence received long after their initial international split had concluded. While preparing for a fresh domestic season, the athlete received a direct inquiry from the strategist proposing a collaborative coaching project.
“He had mailed me once earlier as well, in 2011, when I was the captain. He wanted to coach KKR, with me as captain. Would have been brilliant (sarcastically). These people must be thinking Dada can’t be a fool. I can be a fool once, not twice,” Ganguly revealed.
