Former India captain Sourav Ganguly revealed that former Australia captain Greg Chappell had emailed him expressing his interest in becoming the coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Ganguly said that Chappell wanted to join the Kolkata-based franchise only if he remained captain ahead of the IPL 2011 season.
This revelation surprised many as Ganguly and Chappell had a strained relationship during Chappell’s tenure as India head coach in the mid-2000s. His public controversy remains one of the biggest controversies in Indian cricket. The left-handed batsman worked hard to get back into the eleven after Rahul Dravid took charge.
Sourav Ganguly recalls Greg Chappell’s unexpected email
Speaking on the AddaGB podcast, Sourav Ganguly recalled the morning when he received an email from Greg Chappell. The former India captain admitted that he initially thought the message was fake and carefully checked the name and email address of the sender before believing it to be genuine.
“He (Chappell) emailed me in 2011, when I was the captain of KKR. I was checking my mail one morning at my home in England. I saw his mail and thought, ‘Am I still sleeping?’. Then I checked it properly, checked the name and checked the ID, because a lot of fake mails come.”
The rift between Ganguly and Chappell started after Chappell became the head coach of India in 2005. Ganguly ultimately lost the captaincy, and Rahul Dravid took over as India captain.
Chappell’s tenure as India’s head coach ended after the team’s disappointing defeat in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. India failed to progress from the group stage.
Greg Chappell wanted to make KKR captain with me – Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly revealed that Greg Chappell’s email expressed his desire to become the coach of Kolkata Knight Riders. The former Indian captain admitted that the proposal surprised him as differences between them were well known during Chappell’s tenure as India head coach.
“He wanted to coach KKR. Captain with me!” Ganguly revealed.
“(People) might be thinking that Grandpa can’t be that big of a fool. He may have been a fool once, but he certainly won’t be fooled again.”
Ganguly also said that he no longer responds to Chappell’s messages. The former captain said that the former India coach was not honest during their previous working relationship.
He said, “I don’t answer to them. I don’t answer to people who are not honest.”
Sourav Ganguly’s KKR journey ended in 2011
Ganguly also had a difficult relationship with Australian coach John Buchanan, who removed him as captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2009. Ganguly was released by Kolkata Knight Riders before the 2011 IPL auction. The franchise later appointed Gautam Gambhir as the captain.
Ganguly went unsold in the 2011 IPL auction before joining Pune Warriors India as a replacement player. He represented the franchise during the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
Recent reports suggest Former Indian captain may return to IPL! In a management role. Delhi Capitals have reportedly approached Ganguly to become the franchise’s head of cricket ahead of IPL 2027.
Ganguly previously worked with the franchise as JSW Sports’ Director of Cricket. Although there has been no official announcement, reports suggest that he may return to a leadership role ahead of the next IPL season.
