Vinod Kambli Opens Up About Health Struggles, Reconciliation With Sachin Tendulkar In Latest Interview

Vinod Kambli opened up in front of the camera for the first time since his viral video, taken during the memorial event for late coach Ramakant Achrekar.

His frail appearance and incoherent speech had left Indian cricket fans worried about his declining health. Meanwhile, the 1983 World Cup-winning team, led by Kapil Dev, expressed their willingness to assist the ailing Kambli, but only if the former cricketer agreed to go to rehabilitation.

In an interview with entertainment journalist Vickey Lalwani, the former India batter revealed he was willing to go to rehab for the 15th time if it helped improve both his physical and financial condition. During the conversation, he shared that he was struggling with a urinary disorder and had collapsed a month ago.

"I am better now. My wife takes care of me a lot. She took me to three different hospitals and told me, 'You have to get fit.' Ajay Jadeja also came to visit me, and it felt nice," Kambli told Lalwani on his YouTube channel.

"I was suffering from a urine problem. It was just flowing. My son, Jesus Cristiano, picked me up and helped me get back on my feet. My daughter, who is 10, and my wife also helped. This happened a month ago. My head started spinning, and I collapsed. The doctor told me to get admitted," he added.

Kambli also spoke about his complicated relationship with childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar. Having distanced himself from Tendulkar in the past and accused him of not offering support, Kambli later reconciled with the Indian cricket legend in 2009. When Kambli suffered a double heart attack in 2013, it was Tendulkar who stepped in and helped fund his heart surgery.

During the interview, Kambli admitted that he had ended his friendship with Sachin out of frustration, but was the one who reached out to mend things.

"I was hurt. I was frustrated, and out of anger, I said that Sachin didn't support me. But later, in 2009, we spoke and resolved the issues. I texted him first, and we rebounded," Kambli shared.

"Who suffers two heart attacks? I did. I was driving when it happened. I wasn't feeling well, and I collapsed while driving. My wife was so scared when she took me to Leelavati Hospital. She was in tears but managed to handle the situation. Sachin helped me financially with my surgeries," he added.

Kambli also reflected on his memorable knock of 224 against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

"The double hundred I scored at Wankhede, I will cherish the most. I had Achrekar sir with me, and our teammates... what a team we had. We had Anil Kumble, Rajesh Chauhan, Venkatesh Prasad. We won a lot. Against Sri Lanka, we had some wonderful battles. I used to tell Murali, 'Haath to seedha kar (Get your arms straight),' and he would reply in his native language," Kambli recalled.