Indian cricket fraternity hits back at Gilchrist

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Indian cricket establishment
Friday hit back at Gilchrist for questioning Sachin
Tendulkar's honesty during the 'Monkeygate' scandal earlier
this year, saying the former Australian vice-captain's
uncharitable remarks were only a marketing gimmick to sell his
book.

While Tendulkar himself refused to comment on Gilchrist's
observations in his autobiography, former players and
administrators sprung to the defense of the champion batsman
by terming the remarks as "unfortunate and uncalled for".

In his autobiography 'True Colours' to be released next
week, Gilchrist has hinted that Tendulkar was a sore loser and
questioned his honesty in the racial row involving Harbhajan
Singh and Andrew Symonds that threatened to go out of hand
during India's tour Down Under.

Gilchrist said Tendulkar had initially told the hearing
that he could not hear what was said because he was "a fair
way away". But during the appeal which followed, Tendulkar
said that Harbhajan used a Hindi term that sounded like
"monkey" to Australian ears.

Former Indian Chief Selector Dilip Vengsarkar described
Gilchrist's remarks as just a "marketing strategy".

"You have to write something sensational to sell a book.
I think it's a marketing strategy that Adam Gilchrist has
adopted. Very unfortunate, but a fact," Vengsarkar told a
private TV Channel.

Tendulkar, however, refused to comment on the issue when
his reaction was sought at a function to inaugurate
Vengsarkar's academy at Pimprichinwad, an industrial suburb of
Pune.

Rajiv Shukla, Chairman of the B.C.C.I. Finance Committee,
also took strong objection to Gilchrist's comments, saying the
remarks were uncalled for.

"I think Mr Adam Gilchrist should think twice before
making any observation about Mr (Sachin) Tendulkar," Shukla
said.

"He is widely respected and now the kind of reputation
he commands throughout the world, I don't think he will stoop
to this level.

"So the observations made by Mr Gilchrist are uncalled
for and I don't think he should comment on a person like
Tendulkar in this language. I think it is better to ignore his
remarks," he said.

V.R. Manohar, B.C.C.I. President Shashank Manohar's
father and the lawyer who contested the Andrew
Symonds-Harbhajan Singh case in Australia, also came in
defence of Tendulkar.

"He was at the centre of the pitch where Tendulkar was
the nearest man at the distance of one foot... as a matter of
fact, witnesses like (Michael) Clark and (Matthew) Hayden,
they have given, what you call as untrue versions, according
to me, because they could not have heard.

"They were at such a long distance but they are
supporting falsely these accusations. Whereas Tendulkar was
the nearest man and it is only requiring common sense that the
man nearest will hear the most and that has been accepted by
the New Zealand High Court judge (who was heading the
tribunal), he said.

Former Cricket Board secretary Niranjan Shah was also
highly critical of Gilchrist and accused the wicket
keeper-batsman of sensationalising the incidents during the
ill-tempered Sydney Test.

"He wants to sensationalise the incidents to sell his
book. As everyone knows everything was properly handled by the
authorities with the appointment of proper men to conduct the
hearing after a proper procedure was put in place," said Shah
who was the secretary of the B.C.C.I. during that period in
January.
"It was like a court hearing and the matter was settled
properly. Everything was fine. After the matter is over, to
claim these things in the book is nothing but foolishness," he
added.

M.V. Sridhar, media manager of the Indian team during the
Australian tour, also felt Gilchrist's remarks were a
publicity gimmick which was meant to trigger the sales of his
book.

"It takes me by surprise and I am definitely disappointed
that the person who has played cricket at the highest level
and who has shown examplary sportsman spirit, comes across and
says this," Sridhar said.

"It is very disappointing and actually I think the timing
is more to suit his own personal business interest and this is
a point of autobiography and it is very clear that he wants it
to be a selling proposition, rather than going about stating
facts and in today's scenario you want sensational news to be
read rather than stating the facts," he said.

"And what better than to write about the greatest player
ever and I think it all falls into the place is that it is
more of marketing proposition than cricketing proposition,"
he added. PTI SSR
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