Azhar breaks his silence: Probe Gavaskar and Shastri

Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin has alleged that the Bombay lobby was not "investigated properly" by investigative agencies probing match-fixing in India.

Breaking his eight-month silence, in an exclusive interview to Outlook magazine, Azharuddin said: "Nobody talks of the Rs 70 lakh found in Gavaskar's gymkhana locker. What about Ravi Shastri's Alibaug farmhouse and other costly properties? How did Vinod Kambli lose his money from a locker?"

On Sachin Tendulkar's statement to the Central Bureau of Investigation that Azharuddin did not give 100 per cent while being part of the team, he said, "That is completely untrue. Under his (Sachin's) captaincy I scored more runs than he had while captain. I find it difficult to understand why he made such a statement."

In the two-hour interview at the cricketer's rented home in Hyderabad, a combative Azharuddin also said there was a "malicious campaign" against him when captain.

He said that Board of Control for Cricket in Indian president A C Muthiah had opposed his candidature.

On his first reaction to the CBI report, Azharuddin said, "I took the report as any other blackmailing tactic."

Azharuddin said he was being targeted as " I think people are jealous of me. I have had a successful career and have played for long."

Azharuddin also talked of friends who stood by him after the BCCI banned him.

He also said he hoped to clear his name with his fans. "Before stepping out into the public, I want to clear my name as I have been wronged," he said.

Azharuddin is hopeful of starting a cricket academy and playing his 100th Test match. "It will be a great honour to join the 100 Test club," he said.

On his decision to move the court challenging the life ban, Azharuddin said, "I am emphatic about my success in court, which I am shortly approaching."

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