'Ganguly wanted entire team to take off their shirts. But Sachin told me...': Rajeev Shukla recalls iconic Lord's moment

Stories about India's epic two-man heist, pulled off by Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, during the 2002 NatWest series final against England and the iconic Lord's balcony celebration of Sourav Ganguly have been told and re-told over the years. Yet on Sunday, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla put forward a fresh detail from the celebration moment, which restricted the entire attention to the then India captain Ganguly.

Speaking to Ranveer Allahbadia on his YouTube show 'TRS', Shukla, who was then the manager of the Indian team, recalled being tensed throughout the run chase, revealing that he had taken a blood pressure pill after England had set a target of 325. Riding on the brilliance of the opener Marcus Trescothick and captain Nasser Hussain, both of whom notched up their centuries, England scored 325 for five. Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowlers for India with his 3 for 62. However, Shukla added that Ganguly was beaming with confidence that India could pull that off.

"That moment in Lord's, when we thought we were about to lose, because I had taken a pill to control my blood pressure. But when a target of 325 was set, I asked Sourav Ganguly about the score. I was tensed, but he said, 'Sir, let us at least go the field.' He was full of confidence," he said.

In reply, India got off to a brilliant start with the openers, Ganguly and Virender Sehwag, stitching a century stand. However, India suffered a collapse that saw them go five down for 146. But India scripted a comeback in the run chase after a brilliant 121-run partnership between Yuvraj and Kaif as the visitors wrapped it up with three balls to spare.

'Sachin told me in the dressing room, 'Don't...'

Shukla recalled that as India neared the winning, Ganguly told the entire team to take their shirts off and wave in celebration. It was to mock England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who had pulled off the same after the team's win in an ODI game in Mumbai earlier that year. However, Sachin Tendulkar advised against it, reminding that cricket was a 'gentleman's game.'

"hen that winning moment was about to come, Sourav told the entire team they would take off their shirt and wave it in celebration, probably because Andrew Flintoff had done the same in Mumbai. But Sachin told me in the dressing room, 'Don't let the entire team do this. It's a gentleman's game. It won't look good. So I told Sourav if you want to do it, go ahead. He did it, and it became a historical image. He was the first captain to bring aggression into the Indian team," he added.