Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar have shared a close bond since their early cricketing days. As teammates, they spent years together in the Indian dressing room, forming one of the most iconic opening partnerships in ODI history.
Their on-field chemistry and match-winning performances made them a nightmare for bowlers worldwide. Even after retirement, their friendship remains strong.
On Breakfast with Champions, Sourav Ganguly shared interesting incidents from Sachin Tendulkar’s early days in cricket. He spoke about Sachin’s discipline, dedication, and also some hilarious habits during his initial days.
“I have seen his whole cricketing career from near. From 14 years of age then played for India, we opened together, so I know that man from inside. What he wants to do at the crease, where he wants to play, who he is angry with,” Ganguly said on Breakfast With Champions.
When Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli played prank on Sourav Ganguly
Ganguly revealed how Tendulkar and Kambli played a prank on him.
“I was sleeping in the afternoon on Sunday, I was 14 years old then. I was in Indore in a national camp. Vasu sir used to make us run a lot. Sunday afternoon we had a leave. So me and my roommate were sleeping. We woke up at 5 [in the evening] and saw only water in the room and suitcases were floating. I thought the pipe burst in the room. I went into the bathroom and it was dry. As I opened the door, Vinod Kambli and Sachin Tendulkar were standing in front with buckets and they were going to get more water.
“I said ‘what are you guys doing?’…they said ‘why are you sleeping in the afternoon?’ I said ‘did I commit a crime sleeping in the afternoon?’ They said ‘we will play cricket with the tennis ball’. I said ‘you could’ve woke me up by knocking’.”
“I saw Tendulkar for the first time, such long hairs…he was from Bombay and quite famous back then. He can’t be taken off from the nets.. He used to bat always. Vasu sir used to pull him off nets, saying ‘camp is for others too’. I knew he had something different from that time,” Ganguly said.
Watch video below…
Ganguly reveals how Sachin once scared him with his sleepwalking habit
“We were roommates in England. So, one day I saw he was walking in the room. I said to myself, he must gone to the bathroom and I slept facing the other side. I didn’t ask him anything the next day. Second day, I again saw him walking in the room. So I woke up and sat thinking, what does he do at 1.30 in the night. He takes a round in the room and then sits on the chair, come and then sleeps next to me
“So next day I told him, ‘you’re scaring me, what do you do at night?’ He said ‘No, I walk while sleeping’…He had this habit of sleepwalking,” he said.
Seen a lot of good times with Sachin Tendulkar, says Sourav Ganguly
“Whenever he failed to score he used to search for bats. My heavy bats used to be there, he took them and played. He was my roommate in Sydney and I was not playing. He failed to score in the first two Test matches in 1991-92. So he woke up at two in the night and was practising. He then scored a century in Sydney. I’ve seen a lot of good times with him,” he said.
