Calcutta: When Sachin Tendulkar was handed a suspended one-Test ban for alleged ball tampering in the Port Elizaberth Test during the 2001 away series against South Africa, Sourav Ganguly was the captain of the Indian team.

Sourav too had received suspended bans for a Test and two ODIs for not appropriately controlling the actions of his players.

Mike Denness was the Match Referee in that infamous series and his verdict had created quite a furore.

On Monday, when Sourav, who is currently the Cricket Association of Bengal president, was asked about the Australian team's ball-tampering case which has rocked the cricket world, the former India captain termed it as an "unfortunate" incident.

"Such a thing is unfortunate, but hopefully everything will be fine," Sourav said.

Sourav, however, refused to draw any parallel between the 2001 incident involving the Indian team and the current one involving Steve Smith & Co.

"In 2001, we were given suspended bans... It was not a ban," Sourav pointed out.

Smith will also no longer captain the Rajasthan Royals team in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

Asked about his opinion on that, Sourav said: "I don't know what has happened, whether he stepped down or whether they (Royals) have removed him... I have no idea."

When informed that the Royals' media release said that Smith had stepped down from captaincy, Sourav said: "Then, it's his personal decision."

The Royals have appointed Ajinkya Rahane as the captain in place of Smith and the franchise's choice received a thumbs up from Sourav.

"Rahane will be a very good captain," Sourav said.