The Beginning - The Wankhede Chapter | Ganguly vs Flintoff - England Tour of India 2001

It is the beginning of one of the most iconic moment In cricket history

A story of two people that were as different as sky and earth
Who through destiny’s machinations came together to play for the same team
Lancashire

The people
Sourav ganguly and Andrew Flintoff

One who was born and brought up on the streets of England
The other in the high-class wealthy culture of Kolkata

One who scoffed at tradition India’s and other countries alike

Ono who had become captain because of Azharuddin retiring in wake of the match fixing controversy
Followed by Sachin Tendulkar resigning due to rumours that Azharuddin was coming back

And finally when he got a hand on the captaincy having his entire team mired in the match fixing controversy

And in spite of coming to England under such dire circumstances
He refused to bow down to anyone

Refusing to spend time with his teammates refusing to follow dress codes in ceremonies even insulting the county championship of England while responding to sledges

He had earned the nickname lord snooty of snootington via his actions
A guy filled with attitude

And still things remained ok between him and Flintoff
Till a dinner happened
In the 2000 ICC knock out cup

Dada went to talk to the spin legend Venkatraghvan for some time and Flintoff got so enraged by this disrespect of him…that he for all intent and purposes
Vowed revenge…

Even writing about it in his autobiography

And soon he would have his revenge
In the 2001 England tour of India
Flintoff would will his team to come back from a 3-1 deficit
Defeating India in the finals match at Wankhede…
And the celebration that followed
Started an epic journey that started a folklore
This is that story
A tale of hurt and disappointment
Of humiliation and revenge
Of shirt waving celebrations, provocations and consequences.

#cricket #souravganguly #revenge