Thread by @KShriniwasRao

Since Indian cricket #captaincy is in such heavy discussion, here’s a blast from the past – a #thread on developments that took place 16 years ago & what BCCI, Virat & the media can learn from it after all these years. (1/27)

Mind you, I was a very junior reporter back then. This thread explains the amount of controversy Indian cricket witnessed during those years -- Ganguly's sacking as captain / player, Dravid’s unfortunate stint as captain, & Ganguly comeback. A tale of twists, plots & grit. (2/27)

Some very Sr journalists, who are on Twitter now, tracked those controversies. I’ll be happy if they contribute here. Also, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do justice in just one thread and with all facts… but will try. Also, this has no link to present controversies : ) (3/27)

2003 Nov: India land in Australia, start preparing for Gabba Test. Lot of chatter if Ganguly can face short balls. Ganguly seeks Greg Chappell’s advice. Story catches media attention. Both speak highly of each other. (4/27)

John Wright’s tenure is ending in 2005. BCCI is looking for coach. India lose Asia Cup final & Ganguly makes bold comment: “We cannot lose so many finals”. Ha has already lost 2003 final. He recommends Chappell as coach. BCCI (Dalmiya) obliges. Chappell is on way to India. (5/27)

2005: Chappell arrives. Team India gets a new look after long. Youngsters get drafted in. Month-long camp is held in Bangalore. MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and other youngsters join squad. Irfan Pathan is promoted as top-order batsman. Chappell gets to work. (6/27)

India prepare to tour Sri Lanka for tri-series. Ganguly is serving ban as captain because of slow overrates. BCCI names Dravid as captain. However, Ganguly joins squad mid-way as 16th member, against protocol. The cricketing fraternity is taken aback. (7/27)

Today, this might just seem like a para but 16 yrs ago, this was absolute blasphemy. BCCI going against protocol to include Sourav. Did team want him back then? There are too many versions (and Chappell’s version too). But what's clear? Both don't like each other. (8/27)

Two elephants in a room are recipe for disaster. Ganguly & Chappell begin having a fallout. India tour of Zimbabwe happens in September. Remember that famous snooker table fight? (Google it). Ganguly takes back captaincy. (9/27)

After his and Chappell’s fight in Zim, battlelines are drawn. Chappell writes to BCCI in confidence, he is peeved. But BCCI leaks that email to a Bengali daily. Chappell is shocked. Letter becomes national controversy. Parliament discusses it (yes, not joking). (10/27)

Ganguly gets sacked as captain in Oct 2005. He has called it ‘injustice’ several times. Chappell’s email to BCCI is shocking for that time to many outsiders. He calls Ganguly “mentally and physically unfit” to lead the team. The country erupts. (11/27)

“I was captain of the team which had just won in Zimbabwe and I get sacked after returning home? I dreamt of winning the 2007 World Cup for India. I had reasons to dream too,” Ganguly says. (Ganguly must know Virat was dreaming of 2023 too) (12/27)

Rings a bell today? I often wonder what if there was Twitter today? All hell would’ve broken lose. This Virat Kohli’s removal as captain right now will sound like an Enid Blyton story for kids. 16 yrs ago, legends created controversies. (13/27)

Anyway, after Ganguly's sacking much of the team gets dispersed. Sourav has to prove his fitness and form to get back into side. This is Oct-Nov 2005. He heads to Rajkot to play Duleep Trophy. Media follows his every move. (14/27)

South Africa arrive in India for one-day series. Dravid is captain. But Ganguly is itching to come back. Selectors ask him to play Ranji, he doesn’t turn up. India are touring Pakistan Jan 2006. Ganguly meets then BCCI prez Pawar. (15/27)

Talks are not in public. But Ganguly heads to Pak with team under Dravid’s captaincy. Poor slump with bat continues all this while. Again he’s dropped when England arrive in March 2006. The flip-flop continues. (16/27)

While all this is happening on the field, off the field, there's a daily round of pow-wow between Ganguly and his confidantes and Chappell and his backers. Nobody else in the Indian team has anything to say (as always) (17/27)

Weeks and months pass. India win series in West Indies under Dravid 2006. WC prep begins. Ganguly stays out for whole of 2006, including Champions Trophy. Dravid is settling down as India captain. (18/27)

But despite India winning Test in WI under Dravid, without Ganguly, the latter is back for Test series in SA that year-end. The BCCI is all-powerful as always. Pawar may have beaten Dalmiya in BCCI but ‘powerplay’ remains same. (19/27)

Ganguly goes on to the play the home series vs WI and Sri Lanka before heading to the Caribbean as part of World Cup team. The World Cup ends in a disaster. The team returns home under security cover. (20/27)

Horrible month to be an Indian cricketer, when they returned from the Caribbean. Stones are pelted, effigies are burnt. Country is on fire. Someone has to bear the brunt of it all. It’s Chappell of course. (21/27)

Senior cricketers also finally speak openly against Chappell. The Aussie is packing his bags. Dravid too resigns as captain. Anil Kumble takes over as interim captain. MS Dhoni is captain in the making. Ganguly stays in team. (22/27)

Like it happened in T20 WC 2021, India's exit in first round of 2007 WC sent shock waves and Indian cricket was at its lowest. Dravid is never the same cricketer again and the controversy takes a huge toll. (23/27)

Tendulkar, Dravid & Kumble decide all seniors will stay away from T20 team (inaugural world cup). Young team is sent under MS Dhoni. Kumble takes over as interim captain until Dhoni is groomed for Test captaincy. (24/27)

Rest is history. India win 2007 T20 WC, win the Test mace, win 2011 ICC 50-over World Cup. Some time in the interim, Ganguly quits. It’s the end of an era. A new chapter begins. To know what happened at selection meetings, watch the MS Dhoni movie. : ) (25/27)

Ganguly's fandom was based on following accomplishments: 2000 Asia Cup final shared, 2000 CT final loss, 2001 series vs Aus (Dravid-Laxman series), Natwest 2003 final win, 2003 series drawn in Oz (Ganguly’s 144 at Gabba is terrific), 2004 win in Pak (Dravid captain). (26/27)

Now look at Virat Kohli’s achievements. The BCCI, with Ganguly as president, owes him an explanation. The Board is right in appointing Rohit Sharma as captain. But that cannot be at the cost of BCCI not giving Virat his due. (27/27)

A couple of things: Natwest was 2002, not 2003 (correction).
Also, add the 2007 win in England to Dravid's cap. Another feather that series was.
Last: this thread is merely to bring out anecdotes. To sum up how Indian cricket has always lacked in communication... that's all.