Amid the former southpaw, Vinod Kambli accepted to go on rehab for the 15th time after suffering from health issues caused by extreme alcoholism, he opened up on his relationship with Sachin Tendulkar.
Kambli, during the inaugural Ramakant Achrekar memorial in Mumbai two weeks ago, stated recalled how the Master Blaster stood by him during his tough times.
Though several media reports had claimed that his childhood best friend Tendulkar did not support him during his time of need, Kambli quashed all those rumours, saying Tendulkar has stood by him through thick and thin.
He recalled that when he suffered two heart attacks in 2013, Tendulkar took care of the expenses.
“I was not feeling well. I was driving and suddenly collapsed. My wife didn’t waste any time and got me admitted to Lilawati Hospital straightaway. I had two heart attacks. Who even has two? I did. She saw everything. She was sitting next to me; she was crying,” Kambli recalled in conversation with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel.
“We have known each other since we were very young. Tendulkar rose in status. Sachin did everything for me. He helped me and did a lot. I underwent two operations at Lilawati. He took care of it. He paid for both my surgeries – helped financially – in 2013,” Kambli added.
Sachin-Kambli relationship:
Both cricketers started playing together for Sharadashram Vidyamandir and stitched a mammoth 664-run partnership. They also represented India in the 1992 and 1996 World Cups.
But their relationship hit the bottom in 2009 after Kambli in a reality show titled ‘Sach ka Saamna’ affirmed when asked ”Do you believe Sachin could have done more to save you from your self-destructive behaviour?’
Following this, Sachin and Kambli didn’t speak for more than three years. Tendulkar even skipped Kambli’s mention in his teary-eyed retirement speech.
However, situations improved after Kambli took a job at Tendulkar’s Middlesex Global Cricket Academy and appeared with Sachin in Instagram posts.
With Kambli in 2022 saying he is surviving on ₹30,000 per month pension from BCCI, he acknowledged all that Tendulkar had done to help him out.
Kambli clarified that what he said in 2009 regarding Tendulkar was out of pure frustration: “It came to my mind back then. It was frustration. I know I said it, but it didn’t mean anything. Then we started talking to each other eventually. I gave him a call. Childhood friendship came through,” he said.
