'Ganguly wanted entire team to go shirtless after 2002 Natwest final': Rajeev Shukla on iconic Lord's celebration

Often considered to be a turning point in the history of Indian cricket, this match, however, is most memorable for then skipper Sourav Ganguly taking off his jersey and waving it in jubilation in the Lord's balcony in front of thousands of spectators.

The iconic Natwest series final between India and England in 2002 played at the Lord's Cricket Ground in London, UK, is still etched in the memory of every cricket fan in the country. The match, played on July 13, 2002, gained cult status for a number of reasons, which saw India successfully chase down a mammoth target of 326 runs set by England, thanks to crucial, match-winning knocks by then youngsters Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh.

Often considered to be a turning point in the history of Indian cricket, this match, however, is most memorable for another reason - skipper Sourav Ganguly taking off his jersey and waving it in jubilation in the Lord's balcony in front of thousands of spectators.

Reminscing the moment from 2002, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla revealed that Sourav Ganguly wanted the "entire team to take off their shirts and wave it in celebration."

In a recent podcast with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia on his show 'TRS', Shukla, who was the manager of the Indian cricket team in 2002, said, "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.

He also revealed that it was Sachin Tendulkar who advised against the idea of everyone taking their jerseys off, despite Ganguly's insistence.

"When 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," Shukla said during the podcast.