In a free-wheeling chat during the launch of Playing It My Way on Tuesday night, Sachin Tendulkar gave a preview of what to expect within the leaves of his autobiography. Taking several uncomfortable questions from the audience in Mumbai, Tendulkar was surprisingly open on a few touchy subjects — including his captaincy, match-fixing, Chappell and what he believed to be the toughest chapters to write in his book. Excerpts from the session

On motivation behind the book

I come from a literary background. My father wrote, my eldest brother wrote and then Ajit also wrote. I thought this was a good opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed whatever has come in my life and I thank God for it. I just wanted to share that with everyone.

On difficulties of writing a book

To recall everything took me sometime… to gather my thoughts. The most difficult part to reveal was the relationship between Anjali and me. I have always kept that close to my heart and very few guys know about it.

On not speaking up more often

Staying quiet was difficult because there were times I felt like talking. But I also felt that I should still focus on my game because one article would be followed by another article, and I didn’t want to get into that tangle. It was always wiser, I felt, that I followed up with bigger scores rather than better articles.

On his failed captaincy

I have never believed in criticising the players I have played with — it’s wrong. If you go back and look at the scoreboard that itself would give a lot of explanations. Basically, we were not able to pick up 20 wickets, neither were we able to put up big totals. When we played in India we beat South Africa, we beat Australia, so we had that success. But I thought in South Africa, Australia and West Indies there were matches which I thought we should have won. It was a big disappointment that we were not able to turn that in our favour.

On things he couldn’t reveal

The things I am not aware of fully, it would be unwise to comment on those. I should have some evidence, I should know something in details to talk about it because then it makes sense and it will be appreciated by people.

On whether it was tough to write about his former teammates

I don’t think there should be any problem because I am not hurting anyone. Whatever I have stated in my book, I have been transparent with my teammates. Whatever I have written in my book everyone knows about it, except a couple of things like the Greg comment.

On giving up captaincy

It had started affecting me as a person. And every defeat that I faced it really hurt me. Off the field also, when I was back with my family, I couldn’t switch off — I would constantly be thinking about it. It started disturbing me and affecting me personally, so I felt I could contribute as a player and give all the suggestions to the next captain… As far as I am concerned, if I am not the captain it does not mean that cricket is taken away from me. If I score runs and I win matches it would give me as much satisfaction.

On being demoted in ODIs

Greg (Chappell) told me (in 2007) to bat at No.4. I don’t know the logic behind it because before that I was opening. It was less than two months before the World Cup, when we played three ODIs against the West Indies in India, that I was told I would bat at No. 4. All teams had started preparing for the World Cup around 10-12 months before the event, and all those months I was opening the innings. And suddenly I was told then that I would be batting at No. 4. My logic was that I have been able to contribute as an opener and that is where I have played the maximum number of matches in my career, so I should continue doing that.

We had tried this experiment earlier also in South Africa, but it didn’t bring any success. That is when (the then coach) John (Wright) came to my room and said, “In my personal capacity as a friend I am asking you where would you like to bat.” And I said, ‘If it is from the team’s point of view, I am willing to bat wherever you want me to bat, but in my personal opinion I should open because I believe that I can go out and control the innings. I can bring much more to the table as an opener, with all the experience I have I think I can do a better job.’ And that was my conversation also in 2007.

On how things unfolded with Greg Chappell

I remember precisely. The first two tours (where he was in charge) I missed. There was a controversy in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, but I wasn’t there on both those tours. We played the Challenger Trophy and were driving back from Mohali and Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, possibly Harbhajan Singh and a couple of other guys were there. We were all travelling together and that is when the players said they don’t feel comfortable under Greg. I clearly told them that he has joined us and we should accommodate him and give him a chance. I said we should let him settle down, for any coach to settle down it does take time, so allow him that. I said, ‘I feel you guys are rushing in and it is unfair’. I sided with Greg then. But along the period I experienced with him… the players turned out to be right.

On telling Dravid about possible mutiny

I didn’t want to do all that. As far as I was concerned the matter was over right there because I didn’t accept (taking over captaincy). I didn’t want to create that atmosphere in the team because it was just the beginning of my stint with Greg. I hadn’t played a single game with Greg till then, I had undergone surgery and it was a few months before the World Cup and that is when he came to talk to me.

On Ian Chappell’s ‘mirror’ comments

I don’t think much about him. I showed him the size of the mirror in the VB Series in 2007-08. He has got nothing do with Indian cricket. Sometimes I feel people are given too much importance. The guy asking me to stand in front of the mirror has possibly failed more times so I didn’t want to respond to that and fortunately by God’s grace my bat did that.

On if Ian Chappell apologised

I did tell him when I met him in Durban in 2010 when I working out in a gym and he said ‘this is the secret of your success’, and I said ‘you have conveniently changed sides’ and I have put that in my book.