Sourav Ganguly Recalls about a Time when he Broke Security to Eat Kebabs

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly had revealed about a time when he once sneaked past security to eat Kebabs.

It was in 2004 when India were touring Pakistan for a five-ODI and three-test match series.

Talking in the fifth episode of India Today Inspiration, Ganguly recalled being under tight security during the tour. He said that he was frustrated to see men with AK 47s standing outside his room’s door in the hotel they stayed.

“It was madness (the security),” he said. “I went out to have food and was caught because I didn’t inform the security. And our dear friend Rajdeep (Sardesai) he caught me and said the Indian captain is having kebabs on the food street and then the entire dinner finished after that.

“From that point of view (security measures), I actually got fed-up of the security people. I came out of the hotel room on the first day and saw, they used to call them tigers, and they had 2 people with AK-47s, one looking towards the door and one looking on the other side.”

Ganguly said that he requested the local manager to move the security guards to the lobby as he did not feel very good waking up every morning to see gunmen. Not only the hotel but also the roads in Karachi were brimming with security as Ganguly remembers.

“I remember coming out of the airport in Karachi and driving towards the hotel,” Ganguly said. “The entire road was shut and it was a good 10kms drive. And every side road leading on to the main road was blocked. And there was security, military, tigers wherever you see in every nook and corner. And the hotel we were staying in Karachi, I think it was on the 3rd floor, so the 2nd and 4th floors were not given to any guests. It was completely chock-a-block,” Ganguly said.

Ganguly has been a pioneer of Indian cricket and he is still serving cricket in India long after his retirement. A successful player, a revoluti0nizing leader and now an administrator, Ganguly spoke through his cricketing life in the episode.