The match-fixing scandal remains one of the darkest chapters in Indian cricket history, shaking the faith of millions of fans who had always viewed the sport as a symbol of national pride. Even today, memories of that controversial period continue to influence how supporters react to unusual incidents on the field, with suspicions of foul play never too far away.

While former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje became the central figure in the scandal, Indian cricket also suffered major damage as Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja were implicated. The controversy not only tarnished reputations but also created uncertainty within the Indian dressing room at a crucial stage for the national team.

At the start of the 2000s, Indian cricket was desperate for stability and a fresh direction. With Azharuddin banned for life and Jadeja suspended for five years, the responsibility of rebuilding the team and restoring trust largely fell on Sourav Ganguly.

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The former India captain later admitted that he initially had very little understanding of how widespread corruption in cricket had become. Reflecting on that phase during the Raj Shamani podcast, Ganguly revealed that he openly discussed the issue with senior teammates, including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble.

“The issues that the Indian team faced just before I became captain — betting, match-fixing — I didn’t even know about these things. I kept asking Sachin and Rahul, ‘Does it actually happen?’ Has anyone approached you? Because no one had approached me,” Sourav Ganguly said.

“So, I spoke to Sachin, ‘Tujhe kisi ne puucha?’ He said no. Asked Anil too, he also said nobody asked him. I wasn’t too sure what it even was. At that point, captaincy was the only thing in my mind,” he added.

Sourav Ganguly also recalled how nervous he felt while captaining senior cricketers who had once led him in the Indian team.

“I still remember our first match was in Kochi. On the eve of the game, I had to address the team meeting. I told Dona that many of these guys — Azhar, Sachin — had been my captains. How was I supposed to tell them what to do and what not to do?” Sourav Ganguly recalled.

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“I decided to keep the meeting short because the longer it went, the more I’d have to speak. We wrapped it up in about 15 minutes. The next day, we won, and in the following game in Jamshedpur, I scored a hundred. Slowly, everything started falling into place,” he added.