Ajit Wadekar defends Sachin Tendulkar, slams Kapil Dev

New Delhi: Former India captain Ajit Wadekar slammed Kapil Dev for his criticism of Sachin Tendulkar.

"He (Sachin) got stuck with Bombay cricket. He didn't apply himself to the ruthless international cricket. I think he should have spent more time with Vivian Richards than some of the Bombay guys who played just neat and straight cricket,” Kapil had said on Thursday.

Wadekar on Friday said Kapil played and worked with Sachin at different times in the batsman's career but never mentioned this before. Wadekar also went on to add that Kapil had enough time to groom Sachin during his stint as India's coach.

“I think Kapil played with Tendulkar many times, in different roles as coach and captain. He had plenty of time to groom him. Why didn't he say anything to him then?” Wadekar was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

The 56-year-old Dev made these remarks before a select crowd at the Cove Beach Club at Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai alongside three other cricketing icons -- Shane Warne, Wasim Akram and Ian Botham.