Vinod Kambli, once seen as one of cricket’s brightest talents, has spoken about his health struggles and his long-standing friendship with Sachin Tendulkar. Kambli, now 52 years old, represented India in 17 Test matches and 104 One-Day Internationals. However, his career is often remembered for controversies that hindered his success.
Kambli recently shared the stage with Tendulkar and other cricket peers at the Ramakant Achrekar memorial event in Mumbai. During the event, Kambli appeared frail and had difficulty speaking clearly. For the first time since this incident, Kambli addressed his health issues and friendship with Tendulkar in an interview with Vickey Lalwani on YouTube.
Kambli revealed that he is currently battling a severe urine infection. He also said that he had collapsed due to this condition about a month ago. Kambli credited his recovery to his family – his wife Andrea, son Jesus Cristiano, and daughter Johanna.
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"My wife takes care of me a lot. She took me to three different hospitals and told me, 'You have to get fit.' My son picked me up when I collapsed. My daughter and wife stood by me throughout. The doctor advised me to get admitted," Kambli said.
Several cricket greats, including India’s first World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, have suggested that Kambli should consider going back to rehab. Kambli said he is open to the idea. "I am ready to go to rehab. I want to go there because I do not fear anything. My family is with me," Kambli said.
Kambli also spoke about his friendship with Sachin Tendulkar, which has been a topic of much discussion over the years. Their bond took a hit in 2009 when Kambli publicly stated that Tendulkar could have done more to support him during difficult times. Kambli addressed these comments after 15 years in the interview, clarifying that his previous remarks were made out of frustration.
"At that time, it came to my mind that Sachin did not help. I was extremely frustrated. But Sachin did everything for me, including paying for my two surgeries in 2013. We spoke, and our childhood friendship came through," Kambli said.
"Sachin taught me how to play. I made nine comebacks. We are cricketers. We get hurt. When we get out, we also get hurt," Kambli added.
