New Delhi: Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid has denied Sourav Ganguly's remark over his inability to control Greg Chappell, during his India's coaching tenure between 2005-07 as he was trying to get rid of some senior players in the team.
Rahul Dravid aka 'The Wall' of Indian Cricket team on the field, in an interview to a leading news channel said: "If Ganguly is saying I could not control Greg Chappell, he is entitled to an opinion. He has played many years for India. But he can't put words in my mouth as I have never had any such conversation with him."
Dravid also said, “I have had a good relationship with all the coaches I have worked under."
The whole controversy has irrupted as the much talked authobiography of Sachin Tendulkar 'Playing It My Way' revealed never heard before stories of Indian Cricket during Chappell's coaching tenure.
Sachin Tendulkar's claims in the autobiography 'Playing It My Way' on Chappell has been backed by many other Indian cricketers.
Taking a look back, Ganguly, in response to Sachin Tendulkar's allegations against Chappell in his autobiography, had earlier said: "I really don't want to go back to that period, you have seen it in the results. (It was) one of the worst phases of Indian cricket and worst phase a cricketer can go through, especially someone like me. There were lies after lies and six months later he wanted Rahul removed and Sachin as captain. This goes on to show how the man went about his job."
He added: "I was not surprised to see India not qualifying for the next round (in 2007 World Cup). When I came back to the team, I had spoken to Dravid about that much later and told him that these were the things going on. He said he knew it all but 'couldn't control Greg'."
He writes, "Just months before the World Cup, Chappell had come to see me at home and, to my dismay, suggested that I should take over the captaincy from Rahul Dravid. Anjali [Tendulkar's wife], who was sitting with me was equally shocked to hear him say that 'together, we could control Indian cricket for years', and that he would help me in taking over the reins of the side.
"I was surprised to hear the coach not showing the slightest amount of respect for the captain, with cricket's biggest tournament just months away. He stayed for a couple of hours, trying to convince me, before finally leaving."
Sachin's autobiography 'Playing It My Way' wiil be released on November 6.
