When Sourav Ganguly announced his retirement from international cricket in October 2008, it came as a surprise for many including batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
On October 7, 2008, Ganguly addressed the media in Bangalore and at the end of the press conference he stunned everyone by saying he will retire after the India-Australia Test series.
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"Just one last thing lads, before I leave, I just want to say that this is going to be my last series," Ganguly had said then ahead of the India-Australia first Test.
It was a four-match series and Ganguly bid adieu to international cricket in Nagpur on November 10, after the final Test. It was a winning farewell as India won the match and with that the series 2-0.
Ganguly, however, was out for a golden duck in his last innings, caught and bowled by debutant Jason Krejza. He had made 85 in the first innings.
On Friday (November 24), recalling the retirement move, Ganguly revealed Tendulkar had questioned his decision.
"When I announced my retirement (2008), at lunch, Sachin came up to me and said 'why did you take such a decision?'.
"I said I have had enough, I don't want to play anymore. He (Tendulkar) said 'this is the best I have seen you play in the last three years'. He said 'you have batted the best in the last three years'," Ganguly said at "India Today Conclave East 2017" in Kolkata.
The 45-year-old former India captain said when a person is "tested" it brings the best out of them and it applied to him too.
"In life when you get tested, when you get rejected by everyone, when you get pushed aside, you actually get the best out of you. I always say that to every professional or every aspiring person who wants to do well in life," he added.
After retirement, Ganguly has done cricket commentary on TV and is currently the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). He played 113 Tests and 311 ODIs for India between 1996 and 2008.
