Disturbed and traumatised at reports that he had slammed his childhood friend on a TV show, Vinod Kambli tells Clayton Murzello of Tendulkar's reaction and more

NOT since the match-fixing scandal in the late 1990s has a nation waited with bated breath for a former player to spill the beans over an issue.
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Back then, Manoj Prabhakar gave anticipatory buzz a new meaning when cricket lovers and haters waited for him to name the player who offered him Rs 25 lakh to under-perform during his playing days.

Though Vinod Kambli's reported claim that childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar did not help him out in his dark days is not as sinister as Prabhakar's allegation, India cannot wait for Monday night when Kambli will feature in the game show Sach ka Saamna.
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He spoke to MiD DAY about the controversy, his excitement levels and his deep-rooted frustrations.

Have these last few days been traumatic?
Not traumatic, but sad. It has shattered my entire family, especially my wife, Andrea. And of course, Sachin's and my fans. I never said what was written in the media (Sachin did not help him in his hour of need). I am shattered and saddened by all this.

What did you tell Sachin?
I said that whatever has come in the newspapers is not true and he just laughed. He knows exactly what kind of friendship we share. I don't think this will bother him because I have not said such things about him.u00a0u00a0