It is no secret that Sourav Ganguly and Andrew Flintoff weren't the best of friends. From playing together as teammates for Lancashire to squaring off against each other, the two were never able to get along. In fact, in Flintoff's biography, the former England all-rounder had mentioned how Ganguly simply wouldn't work out during his time at Lancashire and how it was a struggle with him.
In a recent interaction with former Australia spinner Brad Hogg, former England fast bowler Steve Harmison narrated another incident that described the coldness between Flintoff and Ganguly. Harmison spoke about his Test debut in 2002 against India – the second Test at Nottingham, where he had dismissed Ganguly for 99 and the former India captain received a few words from Flintoff.
"What was it with Sourav? He rubbed people off the wrong way. People didn't get along with Sourav Ganguly. I remember playing my debut and I got him out for 99 first ball of an over. Andrew Flintoff had just gone off to the toilet, and literally Freddie ran the drinks back on to abuse Sourav as he was going back for 99. Ganguly is a lovely guy but it was just something about Sourav Ganguly that people did not get on with him," Harmison said on his YouTube Show 'Test of Time'.
{{/usCountry}}"What was it with Sourav? He rubbed people off the wrong way. People didn't get along with Sourav Ganguly. I remember playing my debut and I got him out for 99 first ball of an over. Andrew Flintoff had just gone off to the toilet, and literally Freddie ran the drinks back on to abuse Sourav as he was going back for 99. Ganguly is a lovely guy but it was just something about Sourav Ganguly that people did not get on with him," Harmison said on his YouTube Show 'Test of Time'.
{{/usCountry}}The strenuous relations between Ganguly and Flintoff were best visible when the former England all-rounder took his shirt off as his team clinched a thrilling win in an ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In reply, Ganguly took his own shirt off and swirled it in the air as India, not too long after, famously beat England by two wickets to win the 2002 Natwest Trophy final at the Lord's Cricket Ground, with the winning runs being hit off Flintoff's bowling.