Former India chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar yesterday said that the recent IPL controversy has stained India's cricketing image.

"Whatever has happened is quite unfortunate. The mess has totally tarnished the image of India in the cricketing world. Cricket is a beautiful game and all this should never have happened," Vengsarkar said during the release of the second edition of the book If Cricket Is Religion, Sachin Is God, authored by two die-hard fans Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubranian.

The book tells Tendulkar'su00a0 story in a fascinatingly mingled style with many unknown anecdotes. It is also coloured with his record-breaking statistical data while playing for India and throws fresh light on a glittering career.

Speaking of India's upcoming trip to the West indies for the World T20, Vengsarkar asserted confidence in opener Murali Vijay, who is replacing the injured Virender Sehwag. "Sehwag will be missed but Murali has a great opportunity now to prove himself," he said.