Vinod Kambli had average more than Sir Donald Bradman, but career ended 28, India’s most UNLUCKY cricketer
Former India batter Vinod Kambli was a phenomenally talented cricketer without any doubt. Many believed that Kambli was probably more talented with the willow that his schoolmate and childhood friend, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar even.
Memories of Kambli and sensational start to international career have been rekindled since a video of his meeting with Tendulkar at an event in Mumbai went viral on social media. Kambli and Tendulkar were seen interacting on a public platform after a long time as the duo attended a function of celebrate their coach’s birth anniversary. A very frail and weak looking Kambli at just 52 years of age has gained sympathy from millions of cricket lovers around India.
WATCH highlights of Vinod Kambli’s maiden double hundred vs England HERE…
Playing against #England in 1993, 21yr-old Vinod Kambli scripted history by becoming the youngest #Indian to score a test double hundred. His 224 & contributions from @sachin_rt & @anilkumble1074 helped #TeamIndia register an emphatic victory. #VintageCricket @BCCI @GCAMotera pic.twitter.com/8SOD2QVO8Z
— Parimal Nathwani (@mpparimal) August 25, 2022
Unlike Tendulkar, Kambli made a sensational debut in Test cricket. He created a world record by hit successive double hundreds in his third and fourth Test match against England and Zimbabwe.
In fact, after his first four Tests, Kambli was averaging 136 with the bat with two double tons and a fifty. His Test average was way more than even the legendary Sir Donald Bradman from Australia. Bradman is the cricketer who holds the highest-ever cricket average of 99.96 in his Test career overall.
The Mumbai southpaw added a couple of more centuries in his next three Tests and after his first 7 Tests he was average over 100 with 4 hundreds with 793 runs to his name. Kambli is still the fastest Indian to score 1,000 runs in Test cricket – achieving this feat in 12 Tests and 14 innings.
He just failed to break the world record which is held England’s Herbert Sutcliffe, who achieved this feat in 12 innings. Current Indian opener Yashasvi is the second fastest Indian to score 1,000 Test runs in 16 innings.
However, the world soon came crumbling down for Kambli after the golden start. Kambli’s technique against quality fast bowling was exposed by West Indies and New Zealand pacers.
He only managed 2 fifties in his next 10 Tests, scoring only 291 runs as his Test average slipped from 100 to 54. The Mumbai prodigy played his 17th and final Test match against New Zealand in Cuttack in 1995 – just two years after his debut.
In 17 Tests, Kambli managed to score 1,084 runs at an amazing average of 54.2 with 4 hundreds and 3 fifties. He continued to have small stints in ODI cricket. One of the most endearing memories of Kambli was tears flowing down his eyes as India crashed out of the 1996 ODI World Cup semifinal with a loss to eventual champions Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens.
In ODI cricket, Kambli managed 2,477 runs in 2 hundreds and 14 fifties at an average of 32.59. He played his final ODI match against Sri Lanka in October 2000.