Shastri denies signing up Tendulkar

Ravi Shastri has denied rumours of Sachin Tendulkar signing on with Showdiff, the player and event management company that he launched recently. Speaking to Wisden CricInfo, Shastri said: "Sachin is exclusive to WorldTel [Tendulkar's current agents], and if Showdiff does anything with Sachin, it will do so by working closely with WorldTel."

The Indian Express had earlier quoted Shastri's partner, Arun Nanda, as saying that Tendulkar was "already a part of the company. We have signed a contract with him." Shastri, however, clarified: "He [Nanda] was quoted out of context. We haven't signed on Sachin and any dealings we have with him will be through WorldTel."

Shastri, along with Nanda of Rediffusion DY&R, had launched Showdiff two weeks ago as a player and event management company. It was then speculated that Shastri, who has been both a close friend and a business advisor to Tendulkar, would manage to poach him from WorldTel. Sourav Ganguly, whose contract with Percept D'Mark ends in September, was also rumoured to be a possible client. While the rumour mill churns relentlessly, Shastri is keeping his cards close to his chest.