Sydney, Oct 25 : Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has launched a scathing attack on retired Aussie cricketer Adam Gilchrist, who in his new book questioned the integrity of Indias most respected player Sachin Tendulkar.

Gilly said that Tendulkar had changed his statement while giving evidence in the Harbhajan-Mathew Hayden row last summer. Hayden had alleged that Harbhajan had called him 'monkey'. But, while testifying before the fact finding body, Sachin had maintained that Harbhajan had uttered a Hindi word which sounded like monkey.

He should not be talking about Sachin. It is all rubbish. We don't respect him. He pretends to be a saint and people say he walks when he nicks, but why did he appeal when batsmen don't nick? He always changes his mind according to a situation. If Australia is close to a victory, he is always going up [to appeal] whether it is out or not out. We don't need him to say these things just because he is retired, the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bhajji as saying.

He added: I don't want to talk about that episode again and again. It is over. If you talk to any guy who plays or follows cricket about Sachin Tendulkar, they will talk about the respect he commands. These guys can't come close to him. I am really shocked.

Tendulkar was batting with Harbhajan when the Australians accused the spinner of having called Andrew Symonds a monkey. In his book 'True Colours', Gilchrist says Tendulkar changed his evidence between the initial hearing, where he testified that he could not hear what Harbhajan had said, and the appeal, where he claimed Harbhajan used a Hindi word that sounded like monkey".

ANI