'He never spoke to me for three months after being dropped for 2003 World Cup': Sourav Ganguly opens up on brief rift with VVS Laxman

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly recently disclosed that VVS Laxman was deeply affected by his exclusion from the 2003 World Cup squad. He said that Laxman was deeply affected by the incident and was left unhappy and naturally upset with the snub. The decision created a rift between the two teammates, with Ganguly revealing that the stylish right-handed batsman did not speak to him for three months following the squad announcement. However, he also confirmed that they managed to reconcile their differences after the tournament concluded.

The selection controversy arose when Dinesh Mongia was chosen to replace Laxman in the final squad for the tournament. This move sparked considerable debate at the time, particularly as Mongia was not even part of the ongoing tour in Zimbabwe, yet was preferred over the established Laxman. Reports from that period suggest that Ganguly, who was the captain, had vehemently argued with the selectors against the decision to drop Laxman, but was ultimately overruled.

VVS Laxman never spoke to me for three months: Sourav Ganguly

Reflecting on the incident, Ganguly expressed his understanding of Laxman's profound disappointment. The former BCCI president said that such a strong emotional reaction is entirely understandable, especially coming from a player of Laxman's stature and class who had been a important part of the team's batting lineup.

“It has happened many times when we rested players. They were unhappy. Laxman being left out of the World Cup...he never spoke to me for three months. Then I made up with him. Anybody would get upset...for a World Cup. Especially a player of Laxman's calibre. Quite natural that he would get upset. After we finished the World Cup, he was happy that we did well,” Ganguly said as quoted by PTI.

VVS Laxman, despite his renowned batting prowess, never had the opportunity to participate in a Cricket World Cup match. His absence from the 2003 squad was primarily due to hisOne Day International (ODI) statistics at the time, which included 1,240 runs scored at an average of 27.55 and a strike rate of 67.02. Despite this setback, Sourav Ganguly, the captain at the time, acknowledged Laxman's strong comeback to the Indian ODI team after the World Cup omission. Ganguly also talked about Laxman's big contributions to Indian cricket and crucial performances in series against Pakistan and Australia following the tournament.

“When we came back, he returned to the ODI system. He played an outstanding series in Pakistan and Australia. We won in Pakistan for the first time ever, and VVS was very instrumental. They knew at the back of their mind that it was never personal,” he concluded.

Talking about India's campaign at the 2003 ODI World Cup, they began it with a narrow victory over the Netherlands followed by a substantial defeat against Australia, the team displayed remarkable resilience. They rallied by winning a series of subsequent matches convincingly, ultimately progressing to the final. Although India faced another defeat at the hands of Australia in the final match, the tournament is fondly remembered for the team's overall performance, and many players from that squad became celebrated national heroes.