What happened to Vinod Kambli

[aussie tragic]

Kambli was 21 years old, had 4 centuries in his first 7 tests at an average of 113.28....

What happened?

 

[silentstriker]

His attitude happened. And his last 10 innings were 9, 19, 40, 0, 0, 6, 18, 0, 27, 28.

Compare with his first 10 being 16, 18*, 224, 227, 125, 4, 120, 5, 82, 57.

 

[aussie tragic]

His attitude happened.

Sorry. I really don't know anything about him....please elaborate

 

[PhoenixFire]

Kambli was 21 years old, had 4 centuries in his first 7 tests at an average of 113.28....

What happened?

I quote Cricinfo.

His footwork was dazzling against the spinners - he once smashed Shane Warne for 22 runs in an over - but he often got himself into a tangle against the short ball, and his flash to gully soon became a trademark. Kambli's problems were compounded by indiscipline and an obsession with the width of his bat-handle, which had nine grips on at one time. He made as many as nine comebacks into the one-day team, but played his last Test in 1995 before he had turned 24.

 

[aussie tragic]

I quote Cricinfo.

Most people have a poorer 2nd season so that doesn't really indicate why someone with probably the best record ever for 7 tests failed to make it (Note: he has the most runs of anyone betwen 5-10 innings, yes better than Bradman, Sobers & Weekes who were leading the pack)

 

[PhoenixFire]

Most people have a poorer 2nd season so that doesn't really indicate why someone with probably the best record ever for 7 tests failed to make it (Note: he has the most runs of anyone betwen 5-10 innings)

Adharcric or SS would probably be best qualified to answer that.

I will say the Indian selectors have a strange way of operating.

 

[haroon510]

last time i saw him playing was in 2002 or 2003. it was bollywood actors vs ex cricketers. i don't know where he is right now. he seamed to me pretty fit though

 

[aussie tragic]

I seem to remember that Kambli and Tendulkar were schoolboy prodigies together (highest ever cricket partnership or something)????

 

[PhoenixFire]

I seem to remember that Kambli and Tendulkar were schoolboy prodigies together (highest ever cricket partnership or something)????

Yes indeed, it was 600+ IIRC.

 

[silentstriker]

Adharcric or SS would probably be best qualified to answer that.

I will say the Indian selectors have a strange way of operating.

In this case, the selectors were probably right. He had huge problems against certain types of bowling and his attitude of never listening to anyone and disobeying the team management wasn't helping.

 

[aussie tragic]

In this case, the selectors were probably right. He had huge problems against certain types of bowling and his attitude of never listening to anyone and disobeying the team management wasn't helping.

He was the highest run scorer in cricket history over his first 10 innings and he still finished his career with an average of 54.20... why wouldn't he have a chip on his shoulder...

 

[Richard]

Did Sachin Tendular? Did Rahul Dravid? Did VVS Laxman? Did Saurav Ganguly (to such a large extent)? Did Mohammad Azharruddin? Did Navjot Sidhu?

No.

And that's why they all got in ahead of him.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I thought it was impossible to have such a large chip on your shoulder, as Ganguly did.

 

[Richard]

Nah, by all accounts Kambli's was far, far more significant.

Otherwise Ganguly'd not have had the success he has. It's also easy to omit (and you'd only have been 3 when he burst onto the Test scene ) the fact that with Ganguly it's very much an acquired thing, particularly when he ascended to the captaincy in 2000. Kambli always had it.

 

[aussie tragic]

Did Sachin Tendular? Did Rahul Dravid? Did VVS Laxman? Did Saurav Ganguly (to such a large extent)? Did Mohammad Azharruddin? Did Navjot Sidhu?

No.

And that's why they all got in ahead of him.

Sorry, but none of the above ever achieved the same success as Kambli over their first 7 tests..... again, why wouldn't he feel superior, he was 21 with the best Test record ever! .......we should be so lucky......

 

[Richard]

No, but they did do well - consistently - when they got into the team. So therefore they superseded Kambli and an opening never presented itself for him again.

Less sure how Mohammad Kaif (at the age of 20) got picked ahead of him in 1999\2000 though.

 

[viktor]

Sorry, but none of the above ever achieved the same success as Kambli over their first 7 tests..... again, why wouldn't he feel superior, he was 21 with the best Test record ever!

I think his main problem was technique against the bouncing ball. All those big scores were at home against a mediocre England and Zimbabwe.
When faced with better attacks, he started failing in fact, I think the WIndians pretty much dismantled him in 94, that too in India. The only highlight of his I can remember was when he pulled Wlash for a 6 in an ODI but in the tests he was very very poor.
Of course, he also had off-field problems and as everyone here has mentioned a very poor attitude. These made it doubly difficult to come back.
His best opportunity was when he was selected for ODIs against the Aussies in the late 90s but then he suffered an ankle injury which put him out for too long and by the time he came back, Yuvraj etc had stolen a march over him.

And tis a slow day in the office....

 

[aussie tragic]

I think his main problem was technique against the bouncing ball. All those big scores were at home against a mediocre England and Zimbabwe.
When faced with better attacks, he started failing in fact, I think the W Indians pretty much dismantled him in 94, that too in India.

Ah, good post, I forgot that the WI of 1994 was awesome and would sort out the men from the boys

 

[viktor]

Ah, good post, I forgot that the WI of 1994 was awesome and would sort out the men from the boys

Yes they were.

 

[Richard]

India managed to hold 'em, though... as they had in 1988.