Vinod Kambli’s deteriorating health was caught on camera when the former India cricketer clutched onto childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar’s hand during a memorial event for legendary coach Ramakant Achrekar in Mumbai recently. In the video that went viral on social media, Kambli refused to let go Tendulkar as he couldn’t stand up properly.
Days after the event, a close friend of Vinod Kambli revealed that the 52-year-old has already went to rehab 14 times. “He has severe, multiple health issues,” former first-class umpire and a close friend of Kambli was quoted as saying to TOI.
“There’s no point in him going for rehab—Kambli has already gone to rehab 14 times! Thrice we took him to a rehab in Vasai,” he added. One of the gifted left-handers the Indian cricket has ever produced, Kambli broken into the scene in the eighties when he and Tendulkar shared a record 664-run partnership in a Harris Shield match in 1988.
Thereafter, both went on to represent India at the international level. While Tendulkar became ‘God of Cricket’, alcohol took over Kambli, thus cutting short his national team career to 17 Tests and 104 ODIs.
Notably, Couto was one of the few who visited Kambli after a video of the latter unable to walk in the streets of Mumbai went viral on social media.
India’s 1983 World Cup stars offer Kambli help
Meanwhile, members of the 1983 World Cup-winning India team have offered to help Kambli, provided the southpaw takes the first step towards recovery.
“Kapil (Dev) has told me clearly that if he wants to go to rehab, then we are willing to help him financially,” former India fast bowler Balwinder Singh Sandhu said. “However, he has to check into rehab himself first. Only if he does that, we are ready to foot the bill, irrespective of how long the treatment lasts,” Sandhu added.
