Vinod Kambli, at 21 years old, became the youngest Indian and the third youngest player in the world to hit a Test double hundred. It was in 1993, when England visited Mumbai, and he scored a goal there. His stature remains unchallenged some 30 years after his last major accomplishment. That isn’t the only unreleased album by Kambli. In 1994, he has become the youngest Indian to score 1000 runs in a Test match, doing it in 14 innings at the Wankhede Stadium. This was one more innings than the great Don Bradman needed and two more than the Englishman Herbert Sutcliffe and the West Indian Everton Weekes. But following that, Kambli only appeared in a small number of Tests. However, a year after that, he no longer played Test cricket.
Despite this, many cricket fans were not surprised by the fact that he only played in 17 Tests despite having a batting average of 54 and having scored four hundreds, including two double centuries. There was no easy explanation, although his flamboyant personality and lack of discipline likely played a large role.
Kambli is willing to give up his luxurious lifestyle in exchange for a job with the Mumbai Cricket Association now that he is relying only on the Rs 30,000 BCCI stipend for retiring cricketers. The left-hander is willing to give up drinking if it means getting a coaching job, and he once scored a hundred after consuming 10 pegs of hard liquor the night before.
Everyone is required to abide by a set of rules and regulations. If there are restrictions on what may be done, everyone must adhere to them. If I’m advised to quit drinking, I will do so promptly, no sweat. Kambli said to Mid-day, adding that he has become a sociable drinker anyway. “Who doesn’t do it?” he finally questioned.
The brilliant left-hander, who first came to prominence when he stitched a record partnership with Master Blaster in school cricket, has declared his willingness to assist Mumbai cricket in any way he can.
“The Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) hired me, although the position was purely ceremonial. For advice, I sought it at the MCA. My responsibilities as a parent need me to be available. I have often assured the MCA that I am available at both the Wankhede Stadium and the BKC should the need arise. Everything I have, I owe to cricket in Mumbai. To put it simply, I owe my my existence to this game “Moreover, he said.
