From rxpgnews.com
Tendulkar denies rift with anyone
By IANS,
Apr 4, 2007 - 11:39:28 PM
Mumbai, April 4 - Sachin Tendulkar Wednesday denied having 'any rift with anybody' following reports that he was 'shattered beyond words' after coach Greg Chappell reportedly blamed the attitude of some senior players for India's shocking debacle in the World Cup.
'I haven't had any rift with anybody. I don't know where these rumours start. I haven't had any rift with anyone,' Tendulkar said TV news channel CNN-IBN in an interview Wednesday.
The master batsman has also rebutted reports that there was a conflict between the seniors and the juniors in the team and that the seniors were not allowing junior players to grow.
'I don't think that is correct because the senior players have always encouraged junior players. When it comes to cricket we are extremely serious. If I notice something that they are not doing correctly then I always walk up to them and tell them what I feel. And vice versa,' he said.
Tendulkar said the last 10 days had been terrible and hugely disappointing for the team as the players felt they had let down the entire nation.
Rubbishing the report that there were differences between seniors and juniors as all rumours, he said that the team was really united in the West Indies.
'The reality is otherwise. It is not that the seniors belong to a separate group and the youngsters are a separate group. Youngsters are all part of us. We are extremely close to each other and are close friends and we will always be like that, no matter what X, Y, Z may say'.
Tendulkar said when the team is doing well everything is fine and controversies are raked up when the team does not do well and 'all these things come up'.
Asked about media reports Wednesday quoting him about his unhappiness with Chappell, he said he had not used language like 'clash', 'blast' or 'hit out'.
'I have never used these words and my nature is not to get in to fight with anybody. I have got nothing against anyone. I was merely asked a question to which I replied, 'If the coach has said this, then it hurts.'
On Monday, a news channel reported that Chappell was particularly angry with the senior players and the selectors.
Quoting sources, it said that the coach believed that the biggest problem was that senior players operate like a 'mafia'.
'They 'hammer' and 'abuse' them because they feel threatened by the junior players and don't give them a chance,' the channel said.
Amid controversy, Chappell announced his resignation Wednesday citing personal and family reasons.
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