Sachin didn't stand by me: Kambli

Posted : July 16 2009

MUMBAI: One of Indian cricket’s most enduring friendships has developed cracks. Vinod Kambli blew the lid on his friendship with Sachin Tendulkar on a TV show that goes on air this week.

According to an insider at the show, Kambli said his childhood chum Tendulkar didn’t lend a helping hand during his downward spiral, which was also marked by self-destructive behaviour.

‘‘We are very close... we were very close. He could have done a little more, but he didn’t,’’ he said in reply to a query on his friendship with Tendulkar during a polygraph (lie detector) test which is part of the show.

The Mumbai southpaw replied in the affirmative when he was asked whether Sachin is embarrassed to accept him as a friend now.

Kambli, 37, who is yet to retire from cricket, also took a massive swipe at the BCCI. ‘‘I always felt discriminated because of my caste and colour by the cricket board,’’ Interestingly, all these revelations came during a polygraph test, which every contestant is subjected to. The format of the show is such that the same questions are asked by an anchor in front of a select audience. If the answers don’t match, the contestant is disqualified.

Kambli last featured in a Test in 1995 (India vs New Zealand at Cuttack) when he was just 23. The maverick Mumbai left-hander’s ODI career, which included nine comebacks, lasted longer as he played his last match in 2000 at Sharjah.

Manoj ‘Muntashir’, writer of the show which is titled ‘Sach Ka Saamna’, refused to confirm Kambli’s revelations. ‘‘You are talking as if you’ve watched the episode,’’ he said when contacted. ‘‘The whole world knows about Kambli and Tendulkar’s friendship. Questions about their friendship are bound to be featured.’’

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Sachin didn't stand by me: Kambli

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