Accounts of India's remarkable two-man heist, executed by Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh during the 2002 NatWest series final against England, along with the memorable balcony celebration by Sourav Ganguly at Lord's, have been recounted numerous times over the years. Recently, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla shared a new perspective on that iconic celebration, which shifted the focus solely onto the then-captain Ganguly.

In a conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia on his YouTube program 'TRS', Shukla, who served as the manager of the Indian team at the time, reflected on the tension he experienced during the run chase, revealing that he had taken a blood pressure medication after England set a daunting target of 325 runs. England, led by the outstanding performances of opener Marcus Trescothick and captain Nasser Hussain, both of whom scored centuries, finished their innings at 325 for five. Zaheer Khan emerged as India's standout bowler, claiming three wickets for 62 runs. Nevertheless, Shukla noted that Ganguly exuded confidence in India's ability to achieve the target.

"During that moment at Lord's, when we feared defeat, I had taken a pill to manage my blood pressure. When England set a target of 325, I inquired about the score from Sourav Ganguly. I was anxious, but he reassured me, saying, 'Sir, let us at least go to the field.' His confidence was palpable," he recounted.

In response, India began their innings strongly, with openers Ganguly and Virender Sehwag forming a century partnership. However, the team faced a significant setback, losing five wickets for just 146 runs. Yet, India made a remarkable recovery, thanks to a stellar 121-run partnership between Yuvraj and Kaif, ultimately securing victory with three balls remaining.

'Sachin told me in the dressing room, 'Don't...'

Shukla recounted that as India approached victory, Ganguly instructed the entire team to remove their shirts and wave them in celebration. This act was intended to mock England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who had performed a similar gesture following his team's victory in an ODI match in Mumbai earlier that year. However, Sachin Tendulkar cautioned against this, emphasizing that cricket is a 'gentleman's game.'

"When the moment of victory was imminent, Sourav directed the team to take off their shirts and wave them in celebration, likely inspired by Andrew Flintoff's actions in Mumbai. Yet, Sachin advised me in the dressing room, 'We should refrain from this. It's a gentleman's game, and it may not be appropriate.' I conveyed this to Sourav, suggesting that if he wished to proceed, he could do so. He went ahead with it, and it became an iconic image. He was the first captain to instill a sense of aggression within the Indian team," he remarked.

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