Musharraf's rebuke to Ganguly in 2004

It is well-documented that India's historic tour of Pakistan was one where security was extremely tight, but few will know that one of the security risks on that tour was India captain Sourav Ganguly and that an 'adventure' earned him a 'polite but firm' rebuke from Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.

This particular revelation is contained in Ganguly's upcoming autobiography 'A century is not enough'.

Having endured the state levels of security Ganguly soon felt suffocated in his swanky hotel room.

"Well past midnight I discovered that my friends were making plans to visit the iconic Food Street for kebabs and tandoori dishes," The Times of India quoted Ganguly as having written in the book.

"I didn't inform our security officer as I knew he would have stopped me. I had only told our team manager Ratnakar Shetty. I slipped through the backdoor with a cap which covered half my face…I knew it was breaking the rules, but I felt I had to get away from the rifles and tanks.”

At the restaurant, Ganguly was eventually found out. “A few yards from where we sat was journalist Rajdeep Sardesai. The moment Rajdeep spotted me, he started shouting, Sourav, Sourav.

"People started coming in from all directions and I got gheraoed... While I tried to pay the bill and escape, the shopkeeper refused to accept payment. He kept on saying, 'Bahut achcha. We need someone as aggressive as you to lead Pakistan'.”

Back at the hotel, there was a call waiting for him. “President Musharraf was polite but firm. He said, 'Next time you want to go out please inform the security and we will have an entourage with you. But please don't indulge in adventures'.”

“Facing Wasim Akram's deadly in-cutter was less scary!” was how Ganguly felt about the state call.