Cricket

'Would Sourav Ganguly have arrived with Christmas presents....' - Former Australia player takes dig at Pakistan team during Boxing Day Test

According to O'Keefe, he believed that adopting such a mindset wouldn't be sufficient to overcome Australia. He even drew comparison that Ganguly would have never brought Christmas Present for Steve Waugh

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Mathew K
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Pakistan team (Source: Twitter)

A well-known story in the context of the cricketing rivalry between India and Australia involves Sourav Ganguly and Steve Waugh. According to the story, Ganguly intentionally kept Waugh waiting at the toss before the commencement of the India-Australia Test series in 2001, and he purportedly continued this tactic throughout the three-match series, which India ultimately won.

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In addition, Ganguly later clarified that his delay in the first Test was due to forgetting his blazer, but he did acknowledge employing it as a strategy in the subsequent two Tests to unsettle the Australian captain. Citing this attitude of Ganguly, the former Australia cricketer Kerry O'Keefe also expressed dissatisfaction with the Pakistani team's act of presenting Christmas gifts to the Australian team and their families ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

According to O'Keefe, he believed that adopting such a mindset wouldn't be sufficient to overcome Australia. He even drew a comparison that Ganguly would have never brought Christmas presents for Steve Waugh. O’Keefe also said that if they wish to beat Australia in Australia they need to be in the face of Australian players.

"This Test series is being played in the best of spirits? You're not going to beat Australia in the best of spirits. Christmas Presents yesterday. Would Sourav Ganguly have arrived with Christmas presents for Steve Waugh? No," O'Keeffe said in a video uploaded by Fox Sports.

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You got to have some spite: O’Keeffe

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In a video shared by the PCB on their social media platforms, the captain of the Pakistan Test team, Shan Masood, was seen presenting a gift to his Australian counterpart, Pat Cummins. Simultaneously, other members of the Pakistan team were distributing chocolates to the families of the Australian players. In the same vein, O'Keefe said an opposition team needs to be feisty against Australia.

"You've got to play feisty cricket against the Aussies. You got to have some spite. This is too pleasant. And then opening the Boxing Day with a half-volley," added O'Keeffe

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