'Sachin refused Sourav's request to take off shirt at Lord's'

He was the manager of the Indian team during its memorable NatWest Trophy triumph over England at Lord's way back in 2002 and Rajiv Shukla has
revealed that Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman refused then skipper Sourav Ganguly's request of taking off their shirts and wave it. 

Shukla, who was sitting by Ganguly's side at the Lord's balcony, recollected that evening's incident. 

"I remember Sourav wanted to give it back to Andrew Flintoff, who had taken off his jersey and waved at the crowd in Mumbai. Actually Sourav wanted the whole team to take off their jerseys and wave it.

"But Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman all had politely declined Sourav's request of doing the same," Shukla regaled the audience with his anecdote at a Cricket Conclave organised by a private channel. 

His revelation came in the context of whether 'Cricket remains a Gentleman's Game' after all these years. 

"It's upto the individual to decide what he wants to do and what does gentleman's game mean to him," Shukla said.

Image: Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar

Photo: Getty Images