Hirwani, who took a world-record 16 wickets on Test debut in 1988, was called for a two-day trial in Mumbai before the first Test against Australia and stunned everyone, including Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, with his penetrative bowling at the nets before the match.

"Before the team for the first Test was announced, Ganguly told me that I would play all three Tests, leave alone worrying about selection (for just one Test)," Hirwani told IANS in an interview.

"But for some reason I wasn't picked. Then, coach John Wright told me that I would be playing the second Test (in Kolkata). I was again not picked," said the 37-year-old Indore-based spinner who retired this February after 22 years of first-class cricket.

Then, Hirwani, one of most prolific wicket takers in domestic cricket, was dropped from the third Test in Chennai of a series that India won 2-1 to stun world champions Australia.

After being ignored for the first Test in Mumbai and before the second Test, Hirwani was picked for the Board President's XI against the Australians in a three-day game in Delhi where the squad for the second Test in Kolkata was to be announced.

Hirwani took eight wickets in the match, but to his misfortune the squad was surprisingly announced on the second day itself, after Hirwani had taken three wickets in the first innings. He was not selected.

"I earned those eight wickets — they were not gifted to me — and everyone was surprised (by my good bowling)," he said.

Asked how Ganguly could give an assurance of picking him in the team when there were five selectors, Hirwani said: "It is because it's the captain who picks the playing eleven."

Hirwani, who was born in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, is angry with Ganguly for not living up to his words.

"No one told me why I was not picked. Ganguly can't look me in the eye today. They should have at least given me a chance to fail!" he said sitting in his house in Sukhliya Gram.

Incidentally, Hirwani's coach, mentor and guide Sanjay Jagdale was at that time one of the national selectors, who was supposed to take up the cases of central zone players as per the perceived notion. But the humble Hirwani defends Jagdale.

"He was my guru, how could he speak? It was for others (selectors) to speak for me. He is such an honest person, I can't complain," said Hirwani about the man whom he had approached for guidance and coaching when he left Gorakhpur and settled down in Indore as a 16-year-old in 1984.

Hirwani, who is now taking up coaching and television assignments full time, burst on the international scene with an amazing world-record 16 wickets against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988. India won and Hirwani was adjudged the Man of the Match.

A combination of shabby treatment from selectors over the years and a few injuries, more than lack of performances, ensured that the hard-working Hirwani played only 17 Tests (66 wickets) and 18 ODIs (23 wickets) between 1988 and 1996.

He feels that coming from a 'weak' state, Madhya Pradesh, contributed to this, otherwise he says he was worth many more matches and wickets.