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I did not make remarks against Sachin: Kambli

Former Indian batsman Vinod Kambli has denied making statements against his old friend Sachin Tendulkar or the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on a TV reality show.

“I can never say anything against Sachin. We have been friends since childhood and I never blamed him for anything. Most people don’t know how close we are and this report, which came out in the newspaper is baseless,” Kambli said. “When the show is aired, people will get to see what the truth is,” Kambli added.

Kambli, a gifted cricketer who began with much promise but fizzled out after innumerable comebacks, was reported to have made allegations of racial discrimination against the BCCI on the show where he also spoke against Tendulkar for not helping him enough. It was also reported that the 37-year-old Kambli said that Tendulkar did not help him when he was on decline.

“We are very close… We were very close. He could have done a little more, but he didn’t,” Kambli was quoted as saying by a newspaper. About BCCI, Kambli had allegedly said “I always felt discriminated because of my cast and colour by the Cricket Board.”

The BCCI, meanwhile, has slammed the former India player for speaking against the Board and Tendulkar. “It is completely a baseless and uncalled for charge,” BCCI’s Finance and Media Committee Chairman Rajiv Shukla said. Shukla said also selectors always took performance-based decisions while choosing the national team. “It was purely performance-based decision. Selectors take only performance-based decisions and the same yardstick was used for Kambli,” he said.

On Kambli’s remarks on Tendulkar, Shukla defended the batting maestro, saying he always helped his teammates. “Tendulkar is one man who has always been helping all the players, even the juniors. This charge cannot be subscribed against Tendulkar,” Shukla added.

Tags: bcci, sachin tendulkar, vinod kambli