‘Let him prove the coach has not lost his mind’: Sourav Ganguly reacts 'who is that' on PAK's 'best spinner' warning

Sourav Ganguly hits back at Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson. (Photo: X)

Former Sourav Ganguly, ex-India captain and former BCCI president, did not hold back while responding to Mike Hesson’s recent remarks. The Pakistan head coach had claimed that Mohammad Nawaz is the best spinner in the world, placing him above Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy from India. Hesson’s comments came ahead of the much-anticipated Asia Cup Group A clash between the two rivals, seemingly as part of some pre-match mind games. Ganguly, however, dismissed the claim outright, saying that Nawaz must first prove on the field that his coach hasn’t “lost his mind.”

Nawaz has taken 71 wickets at an average of 22.42 and an economy of 7.25 in 72 Twenty20 Internationals for Pakistan. It is not surprising that Ganguly does not like what Hesson has to say, given the 31-year-old has only been able to take wickets consistently in the previous few games.

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Kuldeep and Varun have both demonstrated their ability to win matches, and they have been entangling their opponents in a web. Ganguly was informed of Hesson's remark during an interview with Anand Bazar Patrika, and the Prince of Kolkata ruthlessly ended the dispute.

The reporter began the discussion by stating, "Pakistan's coach Mike Hesson has claimed that their team has the best spinner in the world."

"And who is that spinner?" Ganguly asked in response to this. Mohammad Nawaz, the journalist, responded to this.

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The former captain of India said a few words, but his response effectively ended the debate. "Okay. Then let that spinner prove this time that the coach has not lost his mind."

In the forthcoming match between India and Pakistan, Ganguly thinks Suryakumar Yadav and his squad will prevail and it would be a one-sided contest.

The former captain of India claimed that Pakistan was no longer a formidable opponent and that the current squad was not even close to the caliber of the past squads.

"The quality has deteriorated a lot. Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf. All world-class cricketers. And now look who is playing for Pakistan. Excuse me, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wasim Akram are not the same," said Ganguly.

"There can be no comparison between the two teams in terms of talent," he added.

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam are not playing for Pakistan in the Asia Cup. The management chose to focus on the 17-member team's big-hitters rather than just the two. Hesson said during the team announcement that Babar and Rizwan have been asked to improve their strike rates if they hope to return to the T20I lineup.

"Babar Azam is not there. Rizwan is not there. There is that boy, Fakhar Zaman. In bowling, there are Shaheen Shah Afridi and Harris Rauf. Really, where are Wasim-Waqar and Shoaib, and where are Shaheen Shah Afridi-Harris Rauf? No match in terms of talent. The rest is one and a half days on the field. A lot of things can happen; that is a different matter," said Ganguly.