Sourav Ganguly Recalls Rejecting Greg Chappell’s Imran Khan Appeal And 2011 Contact
Ganguly recalls rejecting Chappell’s appeal and later approach.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has once again reflected on his long-standing strained relationship with former Australia coach Greg Chappell, recalling the turbulent 2005–06 period in Indian cricket and revealing that he declined Chappell’s recent outreach for support on a humanitarian petition. Ganguly’s remarks came during a conversation on the AddaGBPodcast with senior sports journalist Gautam Bhattacharya, where he revisited one of the most controversial chapters of his career.
Ganguly said he chose not to respond when Chappell contacted him earlier this year seeking support for a petition advocating medical assistance for jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan. “Yes, but I don’t answer him,” Ganguly said, adding that he does not engage with people he believes have been “not honest” in their dealings. He emphasised that while differing opinions are acceptable, he does not prefer individuals who, in his view, avoid direct communication in resolving disagreements.
The former India skipper also revealed that Chappell had attempted to reach out to him on another occasion in 2011, but he had similarly chosen not to respond. Explaining his stance, Ganguly remarked, “I can be a fool once, not twice,” indicating that his decision was shaped by his experiences during Chappell’s tenure as India coach. He suggested that trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild, especially in professional relationships that have previously been marked by conflict.
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The comments reopen discussion on one of Indian cricket’s most contentious periods, when Greg Chappell’s appointment as head coach in 2005—following Ganguly’s recommendation—led to a dramatic fallout between the two. In September 2005, Chappell wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recommending that Ganguly step down as captain. By November of that year, Ganguly was removed from captaincy and subsequently dropped from the team, marking a significant low point in his international career.
After months out of the side, Ganguly made a comeback during the 2006 Test series in South Africa, eventually re-establishing himself as a key member of the team. His resurgence continued until his retirement from international cricket in 2008, during which he produced several notable performances that redefined the latter phase of his career. However, the rift with Chappell remained unresolved, with both figures maintaining distance in the years that followed.
Ganguly’s latest remarks underline how deeply the episode continues to influence perceptions of that era in Indian cricket. While time has softened many historical sporting rivalries, the former captain’s comments suggest that the Chappell chapter remains a particularly sensitive and unresolved part of his cricketing journey, even nearly two decades later.
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