Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has called Ganguly to tell him not to 'indulge in adventures'.
Sourav Ganguly had his fair shares of 'misadventures' on the 2004 tour of Pakistan. Ganguly became the first Indian captain to win a test series in Pakistan during that tour, however that wasn't all he remembered the trip to Pakistan for.
One of the biggest remarkable moments of the tour for him was the phone call he received from then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
The President had called Ganguly to tell him not to 'indulge in adventures' after the Indian captain has sneaked out of his hotel without informing security.
The call left Sourav Ganguly “mortified” during the historic 2004 tour across the border. "Facing Wasim Akram’s deadly in-cutter was less scary!" writes the former India captain in his autobiography, 'A Century Is Not Enough'.
He also recalls how he tried to hide his identify for the locals but an Indian journalist got him in trouble.
The Indian cricket team was staying in Lahore’s Pearl Continental Hotel at that time. As expected the security was very tight.
"Well past midnight I discovered that my friends were making plans to visit the iconic Food Street for kebabs and tandoori dishes. The area is known as Gawalmandi," Ganguly writes.
"I didn’t inform our security officer as I knew he would have stopped me. I had only told our team manager Ratnakar Shetty. I slipped through the backdoor with a cap which covered half my face… I knew it was breaking the rules, but I felt I had to get away from the rifles and tanks.”
To avoid getting recognised, the Indian captain had devised a ploy. "Arey aap Sourav Ganguly ho na?” someone asked excitedly. I said no in a slightly modulated voice. He shook his head and said, ‘I thought as much. Par aap bilkul Sourav jaise dikhte ho.’”
But then he got recognised by an Indian journalist.
"We were about to finish our dinner when someone finally called my bluff. A few yards from where we sat was journalist Rajdeep Sardesai. The moment Rajdeep spotted me, he started shouting, Sourav, Sourav. I knew I was in trouble.”
Soon chaos erupted. "People started coming in from all directions and I got gheraoed-…While I tried to pay the bill and escape, the shopkeeper refused to accept payment. He kept on saying, ‘Bahut achcha. We need someone as aggressive as you to lead Pakistan’.”
By the time Ganguly safely returned to the hotel, the news had reached Musharraf.
Ganguly recalls the call, "President Musharraf was polite but firm."
He said, ‘Next time you want to go out please inform the security and we will have an entourage with you. But please don’t indulge in adventures’.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sourav Ganguly")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}