In February 1988, two schoolboys amassed a world-record 664 run partnership. One was a 16 year old Sachin Tendulkar, the other was Vinod Kambli, who one year older actually outscored the Little Master with 349 not out to Sachin's unbeaten 326.
It seems incredible now, but at the time many observers believed that Kambli was the most talented of the two. And it is the reckless abandonment of talent and serial indiscipline that makes Kambli a Reverse Sweep zero - if only because if we had even half of that talent we could have allied hard work to it and had a decent test career.
Kambli followed his fellow world-beater into the Indian side in 1993 at the age of 21 and proceeded to start his test career like a new Don Bradman. In his first seven tests he hit two double hundreds and two other hundreds and had an average of 113. It was all downhill from there though.
He was to feature in only another ten test matches, playing his last at the age of 23 and by then his average had slipped to a still creditable but now mortal 54.20. Kambli also featured in the one day side, from which he was dropped and recalled nine times before playing his last ODI in 2000.
Hilariously, he retired from international cricket nine years later. Has there ever been a clearer case of the horse having already bolted before the stable door was closed?
Kambli carried on playing first-class cricket until 2005 and finished with an average of a tick under 60. As we said, an extremely talented cricketer.
We wonder how he feels every time he watches Tendulkar score another test or one day hundred? Does he have regrets and just how many times has he kicked himself?
Kambli's love of 'bling' extended into a failed Bollywood career and he has since tried to become a politician, but failed to win the seat he was contesting in 2009.
Vinod Kambli, the batsman who could have had everything but threw it all away and having failed in showbusiness and politics too is a deserving Reverse Sweep zero.
Where next?
This is why great players are great though isn't it. There are very few players who reach greatness on talent alone.
Ashley Giles had what is considered a good test career, Graeme Hick didn't. That's because the King more than fulfilled his potential. Hick sadly didn't.
Posted by: MartDawg | Tuesday, October 05, 2010 at 20:08
But it wasn't for a lack of trying on Hick's part. A combination of technical deficiencies against the short ball, a lack of confidence and a dreadful selection policy did for Hick.
As for Kambli it would seem that a lack of effort on his part led to his downfall.
Posted by: The Reverse Sweep | Wednesday, October 06, 2010 at 13:43
And extreme naivity from Kambli. Somehow he seemed to miss planes for tours in the same way as Chris Lewis reportedly fell asleep during nets in the changing room. And look what happened to him.
I played againt Kambli when he was in his mid-twenties when he had a season playing for Hounslow (that in itself was a rediculous sign - why wasn't he finding himself pro cricket?). He scored 6 sixes in an over (not off me) on his way to a hundred (the shot to get to a hundred was edged through slip off me!). He seemed to be relatively happy but sleep-walked through the game.
It's a mystery why he didn't seem to want to demonstrate his extreme talent on the international scene over 3 different decades a la Tendulkar. But interestingly he's normally a surprise listing in the lists created of top batsman of all time, unless longevity is a criteria.
Posted by: Cricket Burble | Wednesday, October 06, 2010 at 18:09
Kambli was plethora of talent. Had he hold himself and concentrated more. But i think even BCCI also needed to give him a fair chance to display his talent. He was in top form when he came back after being dropped after that world cup 96 debacle. He was fielding as a substitute for jadeja and he got injured badly, Luck too was not on his part, i dont know why?After that he was totally out. I think he should have been given a fair chance like gautam gambhir, he would have survived had he got one good ininings but unfortunately that didn't happen for him. He was going through hell in personal life too at the same time. All coming to him at the same time and the man was finished almiost. Had he got andrea earlier, he would have surely been gone ahead, but still kambli if he has the might should give it a try and comeback. i think there is lot of cricket in him
Posted by: Shalin | Monday, March 14, 2011 at 17:01
You are right Shalin that Kambli suffered from a series of bad luck episodes, but he also squandered his talent too - hence the zero tag. An exceptionally good batsman who didnt even come close to reaching the level that his God given talent warranted.
Posted by: The Reverse Sweep | Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 12:38
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