I have always been a person who speaks his mind. And most of the time my angry outbursts have got me into trouble. When I look back now, I feel that had I been a little bit more diplomatic, by controlling my anger, I would probably have received more of what I deserved than what I got.

It’s not that I regret being the way I am. Because that’s what Dhanraj Pillay is. When I feel that something wrong is happening, I will voice my protest. But then, I have missed out on a lot because of my nature.

In the late 90s, I led what was termed as a ‘player revolt’ for demanding better payment to players. I was dropped more than once because I decided to speak out against the federation and the management. I was removed as national selector because I protested against team selection. At all those moments, I felt I was on the right side and that’s all that matters in the end.