Reacting to allegations Sachin Tendulkar made in his autobiography, Laxman said he totally believed in what the batsman had written

Former India batsman VVS Laxman on Tuesday said that Greg Chappell took “Indian cricket backwards” during his two-year tenure as the team’s coach.

“Chappell took Indian cricket backwards,” Laxman said.

Reacting to a series of startling allegations Sachin Tendulkar made in his autobiography Playing it my Way, Laxman said he totally believed in what the batsman had written in his book.

“This happened in 2006 at the Wankhede Stadium when India played versus England. Yuvraj Singh was picked ahead of me. We were going to the West Indies for a four-Test series after that and he asked me if I would open.

“I mentioned in 2000 I had decided I would not open anymore after it didn’t work for me in the first four years. I was consistent in the middle-order since 2000. Chappell asked me my age and said — don’t you think 31 is too young an age to sit at home? I was astonished to hear this. I had a very good run under him. I was the second-highest run scorer under him,” Laxman told NDTV.

Laxman said the dressing-room atmosphere in 2006 was the worst in Indian cricket.