Vinod Kambli: Kapil Dev willing to help ailing former cricketer, but with one condition

Fans and former cricketers are equally concerned about Vinod Kambli’s health after a recent video of the former batter’s public appearance went viral. In the video, which was shot on Tuesday at an event to unveil former coach Ramakant Achrekar’s memorial in Mumbai, Kambli, 52, appears to have lost a lot of weight and his body looked frail. In the same video, the former India batter Kambli could be seen trying to hold onto his friend Sachin Tendulkar’s hand .

In another video, Kambli could be seen singing a song but the most noticeable part was his muddle speech. Kambli was also in the news in August when a video of him struggling to walk had gone viral.

All of this has raised concerns surrounding his health and his close friend Marcus Couto has revealed that Kambli, who has struggled with alcohol addiction, is currently facing multiple health issues and has already been to rehab 14 times.

“He has severe, multiple health issues,” Marcus Couto, a former first-class umpire and a close friend of Kambli, told the Times of India. “There’s no point in him going for rehab — Kambli has already gone to rehab 14 times! Thrice we took him to a rehab in Vasai.”

Kapil Dev wants to help Vinod Kambli

The same report stated that India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team is willing to help Kambli but they want him to take the first step on his own. Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who was a member of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, revealed to the newspaper that former captain Kapil Dev is willing to help Kambli financially for his rehab but he has one condition.

“Kapil (Dev, captain of the 1983 team) has told me clearly that if he wants to go to rehab, then we are willing to help him financially,” said Sandhu. “However, he has to check into rehab himself first. Only if he does that, we are ready to foot the bill, irrespective of how long the treatment lasts.”

This is not the first time Kapil Dev or the members of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad have tried to help a former cricketer. They had earlier pooled in money to help former India opener and coach Anshuman Gaekwad when he was undergoing treatment for cancer.

‘Couldn’t see him in this condition’

Former India wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe, who was present at the Ramakant Achrekar memorial event also spoke to TOI about how his teammate Kambli’s situation made him emotional.

“I met him after many years. He got up and hugged me and called out, ‘Samya’. I couldn’t see him in this condition. I felt so bad. I had tears in my eyes. We’ve played together for 14 years (for Mumbai); I pray to God to give him good health,” said Dighe.

Kambli played 17 Tests and 104 ODIs for India between 1991 and 2000 and scored 3561 runs across both formats.