‘Ganguly would take his sweet time to adjust cap, put on shoes’: Pathan describes Dada’s knack of turning up late for toss

Irfan Pathan narrated an incident when Sourav Ganguly took his time in the dressing room, even when he was running late for the coin toss.

Former India left-arm fast bowler Irfan Pathan has weighed in on Sourav Ganguly and his tendency of turning up late for tosses during his time as captain of the Indian cricket team. Pathan, who made his India debut under Ganguly during the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, narrated an incident when the former India captain would take his time in the dressing room, even when he was running late for the coin toss

Sourav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan playing for India in 2004. (Getty Images)

“On my first tour of Australia, when he made Steve Waugh wait, I remember it clearly,” Pathan said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports. “I would be in the dressing room and I remember whenever it was time for the toss, Dada used to look at the clock, and the manager would remind him that it’s time to go out for the toss.”

Steve Waugh and Nasser Hussain had expressed their frustrations with Ganguly for repeatedly making them wait for the coin toss. Pathan described the 2004 Sydney Test, which was Waugh’s last as an Australia cricketer and how even Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t convince Ganguly to turn up in time for the toss.

“During the Sydney Test, I remember it was Sachin paaji who said ‘Dada, you should go. It’s time for the toss’. But Dada would take his sweet time to put on his shoes, sweater; adjusting his cap,” Pathan said. “When a person is getting late, the pressure becomes visible on his face but Dada would never be in a hurry.”