Sourav Ganguly on Saturday denied giving an interview wherein he had allegedly slammed his team mates and selectors.
"The reports of the interview from the Bengali daily published in various newspapers are false. I have not given an interview of that sort to anyone and, hopefully, also in the future," the former India captain said in a statement, read out in the press box of the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore, on the third morning of the first Test between India and Australia.
Ganguly had allegedly lashed out at the previous Dilip Vengsarkar-led selection committee on Thursday. He was quoted as saying that he decided to retire after the Test series against Australia to save himself the humiliation of being treated as the "sacrificial goat" all the time while others are spared.
"There is no point playing like this. I am not willing to play at their (selectors') mercy. They will pick you now and then dump you. Why should I be the sacrificial goat all the time? It was difficult to accept," Ganguly, who announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday, was quoted as saying by Bengali daily Aajkal.
He requested the media to clarify with him before publishing news from other sources.
"I would request you to clarify with me before publishing news from other sources," the statement added.