Media barbs gets Tendulkar riled

The skipper said he and his mates can not afford to get disheartened. 8220;I am not giving up nor do I want my team to give up.8221;

After a gruelling schedule of one-day matches, with travelling thrown in for good measure, the team also had a break on Saturday. 8220;I wanted everyone to take his mind off cricket. The players need to relax and be fit for important battles ahead.8221;

Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar today blasted the Australian media for trying to create a controversy out of nothing.

8220;I8217;m very disappointed,8221; he said after Sunday8217;s Sydney Morning Herald criticised him under the headline Rain, Rain Go Away8217;, on a repeat of the sawdust issue at SCG last Friday.

It said Tendulkar sought to lead his team off SCG midway claiming rain had made the playing arena too treacherous.

8220;Where we are concerned, it was no issue at all,8221; said the Indian captain. 8220;I am extremely disappointed by the report.8221;

The report said Tendulkar, after pacing around the wicket square, rubbing his hands on the grass, insisted it was too slippery, claiming it was unfit for immediate return to play.

It went on to say Tendulkar, vice-captain Sourav Ganguly and pace bowler Javagal Srinath clustered in an agitated group around umpire Peter Parker seeking use of the super-sopper to dry the wicket surrounds.

With their cause all but lost after the dismissal for 100, any delay was a good delay for the Indians, added the report.

8220;But with a near-capacity crowd of 38,000 watching the engrossing clash, Queenslander Peter Parker is believed to have taken a strong stand with Tendulkar, pointing out that it was imperative that, as well-paid professionals, they complete the game. And he directed them to play.

8220;It was fortunate he did, for the spectacle of the Indians trooping off SCG with the rain having cleared would have been most provocative, the best possible way to foment trouble. The Indian expatriates8217; disruption of the game in Melbourne would have been a tea party by comparison,8221; the report said.

8220;I am surprised and shocked,8221; said Tendulkar. 8220;At no stage did I issue any threat of a walkout.

8220;What I did tell the umpire is that the area was slippery and it would be better if we could dry it out,8221; he said. 8220;The rain was quite stiff and the conditions were never going to be ideal. I was more worried about the player and injuries to them since we are already carrying two injured players Ajit Agarkar and Jacob Martin in the party.8221;

He said, 8220;Initially, the umpires had a point of view nothing more could be done but then he agreed to my suggestion, saying he would reconsider if anyone slipped.8221;

8220;In fact as things happened, he did call the ground staff,8221; said Tendulkar. 8220;There certainly wasn8217;t any confrontation.

8220;The least the writer could have done was to take my version before putting it in print. What has hurt me is that it has placed a wrong picture before everyone,8221; he said.

The Indian captain said he was particularly hurt by the statement any delay was a good delay for the Indians.

This is the second time on the tour that Tendulkar has been the target of local media on sawdust issue. At Sydney, it was reported that tendulkar was angry and had blasted the umpires for refusing sawdust on the second day of the Test. It was incorrect since Tendulkar had only replied to a query by Indian media and never, at any stage, appear to be angry.