Sourav Ganguly and Ravi Shastri didn’t have a good relationship for the past two to three years and the chemistry didn’t work out between the two as well. But, now things seem to have taken a U-turn after Sourav Ganguly took the charge as BCCI President. Recently, Ravi Shastri went a step ahead and tried to mend the difference between him and Sourav Ganguly, as he praised Ganguly and his valuable contributions as a cricketer while speaking to India Today Inspiration.

“He [Ganguly] took over Indian cricket at the most troubled times. You needed the faith of the people to come back. What he has done as a cricketer… I have the utmost respect. If people think I don’t respect that, to hell with them. As far as the Sourav-Shastri game that goes, that’s brilliant chaat and bhel puri for the media,” Ravi Shastri added.

The relationship between India’s head coach and BCCI President went from bad to worse after the former coach Anil Kumble had to resign from his post where he was chosen for head coach role by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) featuring Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. However, in 2017, after Kumble stepped down as head coach and Shastri was given the responsibility.

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Earlier, Sourav Ganguly said, “That’s why it is speculation. I don’t have an answer to it [speculations]. It’s pretty simple. It’s about performance. You perform, you continue or else somebody else would take over. It’s a simple formula.”

Sourav Ganguly left a huge impact as BCCI President as he was the one who helped India host its maiden historic day-night Test at the home of cricket, Eden Gardens against Bangladesh which later turned out to be a huge success. On the other hand, under Ravi Shastri India have been doing well across formats. They have won Tests at home and away whereas they did well in the T20I series as well.