Suddenly from Maharaj, I had joined the ranks of the oppressed, recalls Sourav Ganguly

The Greg Chappell and Sourav Ganguly controversy was one that the entire nation would never forget. 2005 was the beginning of a dark phase in Indian cricket, one surrounded by controversies and scandals under the reign of Chappell. Ganguly’s fall from the undisputed hero of the Indian team to a mere outsider after he was dropped from the team squad.

“Look, I was the captain of India for five years. I was one of the stars, a popular face in India. I already had a substantial fan base. But this downhill phase of mine suddenly endeared me to the masses. Even in the media, people who had criticized me routinely turned softer. Suddenly from Maharaj I had joined the ranks of the oppressed,” wrote Ganguly in his book.

“Losing the (India) captaincy (in 2005) came like a bolt from the blue. You are hurt but you can’t show it because you have to put that behind you and make a comeback. That was a huge learning experience because for nearly a decade, things had only gone up for me. It made me tougher,” Ganguly said in an interview Hindustan Times.

Ganguly who was also captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders for three seasons added that he was left surprised at the team's decision to drop him from the matchday squad after performing well with the bat.