Kolkata: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly yesterday said Anil Kumble was nearly dropped for their famous tour to Australia in 2003-04 but it was him who fought with the selectors till late in the night to take the ace Lexine on board.


Sourav Ganguly

According to Ganguly, the selectors were keen for a left-arm spinner Murali Kartik for the tour Down Under but on Ganguly's insistence Kumble was taken as he returned with 24 wickets, the highest in the series with India retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after drawing the series 1-1.