In his to-be-released autobiography 'Playing it My Way' batting legend Sachin Tendulkar reveals former India coach Greg Chappell was only ahead, leading the team when they won
Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell (R) leads the applause for team captain Rahul Dravid at a ceremony to mark Dravid's 100th Test match on the first day of the third Test match between India and England/ Pic Getty Images
New Delhi: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is critical of former India coach Greg Chappell's propensity to hog limelight when the going was good but had the habit of leaving the players in the lurch when all went downhill.
Also read: Sachin Tendulkar blasts former India coach 'ringmaster' Greg Chappell
Man in the middle: Then India coach Greg Chappell at a media interaction during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. Pic/Getty Images
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In his to-be-released autobiography 'Playing it My Way' Tendulkar writes: "I remember that every time India won, Greg could be seen leading the team to the hotel or into the team bus, but every time India lost he would thrust the players in front.
In general John (Wright) and Gary (Kirsten) always preferred to stay in the background, but Greg liked to be prominent in the media."
Sachin Tendulkar
The 41-year-old has also claimed that the Australian wanted to drop senior players from the team. Tendulkar writes: "Chappell seemed intent on dropping the older players and in the process damaged the harmony of the side. Once, he asked VVS Laxman to consider opening the batting. Laxman politely turned him down, saying he had tried opening in the first half of his career because he was confused, but now he was settled in the middle order.
Chappell vs Laxman
"Greg's response stunned us all. He told Laxman he should be careful, because making a comeback at the age of 32 might not be easy.
Power play: Sachin Tendulkar has also said in his book that Chappell had once told him, "Together we could control Indian cricket for years".
"In fact, I later found out that Greg had spoken to the BCCI about the need to remove the senior players," the maestro writes.
Tendulkar says seniors were relieved to see Chappell go, which wasn't surprising as "he had not treated them fairly."
Also read: Greg Chappell was someone who could not be trusted, says Sourav Ganguly
Tendulkar also said that he told the BCCI not to send Chappell to the 2007 World Cup. "I suggested to the BCCI that the best option would be to keep Greg back in India and not send him with the team to the World Cup." Tendulkar told the Board that senior players could take control of the team.
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