Sreesanth reveals how Sourav Ganguly got the best out of him against South Africa in 2006

Back in 2006, S Sreesanth was a budding young fast-bowler for the Indian team. His efforts had helped India to their first-ever Test victory in the South Africa soil. He had picked up eight wickets in the Johannesburg Test, which included a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

The pacer received a man of the match trophy as well. Years later, the right-arm fast bowler revealed in an interview that Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar helped him in his performances.

Recalling the 2006 India’s tour of South Africa, the fast-bowler revealed how the former Indian captain helped him. He said that left-handed batsman who was making his comeback in that match would take him to bowl in the nets earlier than anyone else. The Kerala pacer admits that he wasn’t so good against the left-handed batsmen but bowling to Ganguly helped him solve this problem.

“I still remember we had a tour match in Potchefstroom before the Test series. Sourav Ganguly was making a comeback into the team and he would take me out early to the nets before anyone. I wasn’t too good against the left-handers and bowling those lengthy spells to Dada in the nets helped me a lot,” Sreesanth said according to a report on India Today.

‘I bowled quite well to the South African left-handers’: Sreesanth

Sreesanth also credited Sachin Tendulkar for his good bowling performance. The 37-year-old revealed that the ‘Little Master’ would help with the lines which he should bowl.

“If you would notice, I bowled quite well to the South African left-handers, especially Graeme Smith. After every wicket, I would go to Sachin paaji, because he too would keep telling me from mid-off or mid-on where to bowl. I was the Man-of-the-Match, but it was all because of these legends.”

“I didn’t know India had never won a Test in South Africa and it was only later that I got to know. I used to bowl against these legends in the nets and that made me the bowlers I was,” the speedster added.

The right-arm seamer ended up being the highest wicket-taker in the three-match series. He picked up 18 wickets for the Indian side in the series, but the visitors ended up losing the Test series 2-1.