What was the author Annasaheb's initial attitude towards Gurus before he wrote the Shri Sai Satcharita?

Interestingly, the author Annasaheb was not always a devotee of Gurus. The preface, as detailed in chunks 19 and 20 of Chapter 0, reveals that he initially had no Guru devotion or love for the Guru at all. In fact, he used to argue that the practice of 'making a Guru' was a fraud and felt there was no need for one, taking great pride in his own abilities and doership. This entire perspective was shattered the moment his eyes met Baba's. An internal spiritual witness was voiced, his pride vanished, and he became fully convinced that a Sadguru is essential to cross the ocean of life. The writing of the Shri Sai Satcharita is thus seen as the ultimate fruit of that transformative grace.