How far the mighty have fallen. Vinod Kambli, who was formerly touted as the future of Indian cricket, was consumed by glitz and ultimately squandered his life and career, as everyone knows. His images generated a sense of dread among the audience when he was recently revealed in Mumbai as part of the dedication of the Ramakant Achrekar monument. With the public hoping for his quick recovery, it appeared terrible as he reached out to his childhood buddy Sachin Tendulkar, grasped his hand, and wouldn't let go.

Finally, Kambli was found to have a urinary infection and other medical problems. The Indian team that won the 1983 World Cup got in touch with him to offer assistance with his recovery after seeing his predicament. Kambli agreed, but soon after, he ran into problems that required him to be admitted to the hospital. Thankfully, Kambli was released from Akruti Hospital in Thane after receiving the right care. And one can only hope that he is living a healthier and better life as he stays away from the news.

All of this might have been avoided, in retrospect. Indian cricket has a strong fan base. People who can handle it go far, but others frequently follow the same path as Kambli. Consider Prithvi Shaw. Having once been chosen to be the next Tendulkar, Shaw has fallen in the rankings after hitting a Test century in his first match, and it doesn't seem likely that he will ever return.

The story of Kambli and his uncontrollable impulses is not new. Many of the Indian and Mumbai players he played with have stories to share. But a new tale involving Yograj Singh has surfaced. When Kambli was at his peak, the former India pacer said he cautioned the left-handed batsman to remain grounded. However, Kambli had different ideas and paid the price for disregarding one of the numerous pieces of guidance he had been given.

"I once informed Vinod Kambli. Quit smoking, hanging out with females, and throwing these parties. Stop it, I urged. You will be done in this manner. You will be weeping. I spoke to him in person, at the top of my lungs. However, he then stated, "This is glamor. I am the king." I say that for that reason. "You are not bigger than the game," Yograj told InsideSport.

Vinod Kambli's meteoric rise and fall

When Kambli was rising through the ranks, he was as loud as Tendulkar, if not louder. According to certain insiders of Mumbai cricket in the old days, Kambli was more talented than Tendulkar. However, it all came down to how the two players managed and prioritized their life both inside and outside the cricket field. Kambli became a forgotten chapter when Tendulkar rose to the position of India's greatest batsman of all time, a cricket deity, and a legend, in comparison to the unparalleled Donald Bradman and the legendary Brian Lara.

The fact that he demonstrated such potential at the beginning of his career makes this fall all the more tragic. In his debut against England in 1993, Kambli scored his first fifty in the second test in Chennai. However, what followed was complete insanity. Kambli gave the English bowlers nightmares in the following two Tests, smashing 224 at his home ground of the Wankhede Stadium and then following it up with a double-century at Delhi's Arun Jaitly Stadium (formerly Feroz Shah Kotla).

He didn't end there. Kambli surpassed the famous Bradman's average of 99.94 at one point by hitting back-to-back centuries against Sri Lanka in Colombo. With some amazing batting, Kambli had broken the 100-average barrier, and that was it, even if he added a few more half-centuries to improve his Test career.

Kambli made nine comebacks between 1993 and 2000, the most of any player, during which time he played his last game for India. Additionally, his connection with Tendulkar deteriorated in the middle when, during an Indian TV reality show, he made a remark that he afterwards admitted he shouldn't have made. The couple didn't reconcile until several years after they stopped talking. Although Kambli received employment at the Tendulkar Middlesex Global Academy, it didn't last very long. In a 2022 interview with Mid-Day, Kambli stated that he is finding it difficult to make ends meet. Not much has changed in the three years since then. However, at the very least, Kambli is actively attempting to turn his life around by kicking his bad habits.

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