Adam Gilchrist

Melbourne: Former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist is set to inflame tensions between the two countries by questioning India’s sportsmanship and Sachin Tendulkar’s honesty during the spiteful Sydney Test earlier this year.

In his autobiography, an extract of which will appear in a magazine, Gilchrist has hinted that Tendulkar was a sore loser and questioned his honesty in the ‘Monkeygate’ affair that threatened to go out of hand during India’s tour Down Under.

Terming Tendulkar’s testimony during Harbhajan Singh’s appeal as a “joke”, Gilchrist said: “The Indians got him (Harbhajan) off the hook when they, of all people, should have been treating the matter of racial vilification with the utmost seriousness.”

Gilchrist was particularly disappointed with Tendulkar who, according to him, had initially told the hearing that he could not hear what was said, that he was “certain he was telling the truth” because he was “a fair way away”.

However, during the appeal which followed, Tendulkar said that Harbhajan used a Hindi term that sounded like “monkey” to the Australians.

The stumper wrote he was convinced that Harbhajan was guilty and considered India’s threat to abandon the tour “a disgraceful act, holding the game to ransom unless they got their way”.

He also wrote that there was a vast difference in the manner in which the teams approached the game.

“In the Australian mentality, we play it hard and are then quick to shake hands and leave it all on the field. Some of our opponents don’t do it that way. Sachin Tendulkar, for instance, can be hard to find for a changing room handshake after we have beaten India. Harbhajan can also be hard to find. I guess it’s a case of different strokes for different folks.”

The comments are certain to revive ill feelings between the rivals, who are in the middle of another series. India lead 1-0 after two Tests.