I didn’t have MS Dhoni’s new number: VVS Laxman

Retired India batsman VVS Laxman, whose retirement in August was hounded by controversy after he said that captain MS Dhoni was "difficult to reach", said that he did not have Dhoni's new number at the time and that he shares a "wonderful relationship" with him.

VVS Laxman (left) said that he shares a wonderful relationship with MS Dhoni © Getty Images

Mumbai: Nov 27, 2012

Retired India batsman VVS Laxman, whose retirement in August was hounded by controversy after he said that captain MS Dhoni was “difficult to reach”, said that he did not have Dhoni’s new number at the time and that he shares a “wonderful relationship” with him.

Dhoni was also reportedly not invited to Laxman’s retirement party, but the latter said that the media blew the story out of proportion.

“I didn’t want to start a controversy,” said Laxman, in an interview with The Telegraph. “That’s not me… I just stated a fact.

“When Dhoni came to Hyderabad (for the first Test against New Zealand), we had a lengthy chat and I realised I’d been calling him on a number which had changed… I didn’t have his new number.

The media, however, made it such a big story… That hurt me… Dhoni and I share a wonderful relationship and I regard him as a very good captain. He’s inspirational, a special captain. His behaviour doesn’t change even if things haven’t gone his way. I saw that from close quarters in England and in Australia,” he said.

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