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'He Betrayed Dada!': Ex-KKR Director Shares Sourav Ganguly's Unheard Snub Story

Soumyajit Dutta

Sourav Ganguly led KKR in 2008 and 2010 [Source: @ShahRukhkiSneha/X.com]Sourav Ganguly led KKR in 2008 and 2010 [Source: @ShahRukhkiSneha/X.com]

Every cricket fan, especially IPL and KKR fans, knows the waves that went up after Kolkata's emotion, their very own 'Dada,' Sourav Ganguly, was snubbed from the 2011 IPL mega auction. The exclusion of Sourav Ganguly from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad, who captained the pack during its inception in 2008, sparked intense backlash.

The fury of KKR fans revealed the emotional stakes of franchise decisions in cricket-crazy India. Former KKR team director Joy Bhattacharjya recounted the story behind Sourav Ganguly's snub and the immediate fury from fans on a recent podcast.

Fans Unleash Fury After Ganguly's Omission From Mega Auction

In the 'A Century of Stories’ podcast, Joy Bhattacharjya recalled the wrath of the fans upon the news of Sourav Ganguly's exclusion from the auction, which intriguingly underlines the ethos of fan culture in India.

“When Sourav Ganguly was not bid for, within five minutes I got 400 messages on my phone. There was somebody who put on all groups saying, ‘This is a Bengali who has betrayed our Bengali icon Sourav Ganguly; please tell him what we think of him.’"

The hostility escalated so sharply that Bhattacharjya recalled they were almost forced to put off their address board from their home.

“It reached a stage where I had to turn around and tell my dad that perhaps he should take down our address board from his house in Salt Lake.”

This controversy unfolded against the backdrop of KKR’s rocky beginnings. Despite Ganguly’s legendary status as a former India captain and his leadership during the franchise’s first three seasons, the team failed to secure a playoff berth even once.

The decision to part ways with Ganguly marked a pivotal shift. As Joy recollected that while team owner Shah Rukh Khan remained neutral, saying, “If you want Sourav, keep Sourav. If you don’t want him, your call,” the choice ultimately rested with coach Dav Whatmore, CEO Venky Mysore, and Bhattacharjya.

Gambhir Leads KKR To Glory

However, the gamble to invest in Gautam Gambhir reshaped KKR’s destiny. Under Gambhir’s captaincy, the franchise clinched IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, breaking their trophy drought. His later role as mentor further cemented their success, guiding KKR to a third title in 2024.

Overall, with Gambhir involved either as a player or mentor, the team reached the playoffs in six of eight seasons, a stark contrast to their earlier struggles. While Ganguly’s exit initially alienated fans, the move underscored the ruthless pragmatism of T20 leagues. 

KKR’s transformation from underperformers to three-time champions validated their strategy, proving that emotional attachments often yield to cold calculations in pursuit of silverware.