Vinod Kambli opens up on his relationship with Sachin Tendulkar, says he bad-mouthed best friend out of ‘frustration’
- Though several media reports had claimed that his childhood best friend Sachin Tendulkar did not support him during his time of need, Vinod Kambli quashed all those rumours, saying Tendulkar has stood by him through thick and thin.
Amid former southpaw Vinod Kambli's decision to go to rehab for the 15th time due to health issues caused by extreme alcoholism, he opened up about his relationship with Sachin Tendulkar.
Kambli recalled how the Master Blaster stood by him during his tough times during the inaugural Ramakant Achrekar memorial in Mumbai two weeks ago.
Though several media reports claimed that his childhood best friend Tendulkar did not support him during his time of need, Kambli quashed all those rumours, saying Tendulkar had 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 bottom in 2009 after Kambli, in a reality show titled ‘Sach ka Saamna’, affirmed, “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 saying in 2022 that he is surviving on a ₹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.
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Business NewsSportsCricket NewsVinod Kambli opens up on his relationship with Sachin Tendulkar, says he bad-mouthed best friend out of ‘frustration’
First Published:13 Dec 2024, 10:36 PM IST
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