Sport: Cricket Country: India Category: Interviews

Dada, this is not done': Ganguly almost gave up captaincy over prank

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 17, 2026, 2:34 PM

Last updated Aug 17, 2026

Dada, this is not done': Ganguly almost gave up captaincy over prank

Summary

In April 2005, ahead of a one-day series against Pakistan in Kochi, a prank by Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh nearly cost Sourav Ganguly his captaincy. The duo presented fake newspaper articles claiming Ganguly criticized his teammates, leading to confusion and distress for the captain. Senior players Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid supported the prank, further convincing Ganguly of its authenticity. The hoax ended when one player broke character and revealed the joke, leaving Ganguly relieved yet concerned.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•Incident occurred on April Fool's Day in 2005
•Ganguly confused by fake articles about his teammates
•Prank involved senior players Tendulkar and Dravid
•Ganguly nearly resigned over the misunderstanding
•Players felt guilty after the prank was revealed

Latest Updates

2:34 PMYahoo Sports — 'Dada, this is not done': When Ganguly nearly gave up India captaincy over a prank by Sachin, Yuvraj

What they're saying

"
It happened on April Fool’s Day in 2005, a day before India began a one-day series against Pakistan in Kochi. With the pressure of playing their familiar rivals already building, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh decided to play a prank on Ganguly.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Cricket