The controversies Shoaib Akhtar has managed to churn in his career far outnumber his contributions on the field.
His stinging indictment of Sachin Tendulkar’s abilities shows the ex-Pakistan pacer in a very different light – a very unflattering one.
Shoaib says in his autobiography Controversially Yours that Sachin Tendulkar does not know the art of finishing games and that he was scared to face him in a Test in Faisalabad. These are curious things to state because the world’s greatest Test and ODI run maker has answered every question asked of him in a legendary 21-year career.
But then why does everyone target Sachin? Is it because he is a tall poppy and jealous people simply want to cut him down?
“It’s a gimmick to sell a book. Write something bad about Sachin and your books will sell. Adam Gilchrist too did this. Whatever little respect I had for Shoaib is gone. Shouldn’t he be focusing on how he let Pakistan down with his antics? I’m sure Pakistan cricket and its happenings would have provided plenty of fodder,” said ex-India skipper Bishan Singh Bedi.
Shoaib also took a pot shot at another legend, Rahul Dravid, clubbing him with Sachin when saying that they were not match winners.
Shoaib downplays remarks against Sachin
However, the Pakistan cricketer downplayed his remarks of Sachin in the book and praised the Master Blaster at the launch of the book.
"I never said that Sachin was scared of me. I just said in the context about players not being comfortable on particular occasions. I have also felt that a number of times," Akhtar said at the launch function of his book 'Controversially Yours' here.
"It was one such occasion when Sachin had tennis elbow problem and was unable to hook and pull. On that particular day, I felt that Sachin was trying to save himself. That doesn't mean that he was buzhdil (coward). It's just when you are uncomfortable, whether you are tail-ender or Sachin Tendulkar, you tend to save yourself," he said.
Then lavishing praise on Tendulkar he said, "He has had a fabulous last few years. He is the greatest batsman. Unse humara kya muqabla (How can I be compared with Tendulkar)."
Akhtar also tried to set the record straight about what he actually meant when he said that Rahul Dravid was not a "match-winner".
"Again I would like to mention that I spoke about a particular phase. Dravid was always a nightmare for bowlers in Test matches. But again he transformed his game in the ODIs. So, it was about a particular time."
Shoaib didn't mince words when he said that a lot of fights are on in the Pakistan dressing room.
"But thank God, we at least fought in the dressing rooms but your Harbhajan Singh slapped someone in the open," he said in jest referring to the off-spinner's infamous slap on Sreesanth.