‘Told Vinod Kambli to stop partying, smoking and going to girls, but’- Yograj Singh on India cricketer’s decline

Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh has spoken out about the counsel he gave to another former Indian player, Vinod Kambli. Yograj Singh recently disclosed in an exclusive interview with InsideSport that he had advised Kambli to quit smoking and partying, among other things.

Like Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli was a young star and a gifted player in Indian cricket. In 1991, at the age of 19, he played his first international match against Pakistan in an ODI. 

In 1993, Kambli played his first Test match against England. With two double-hundreds and two hundreds in his first seven Test matches, he immediately made an impression and showed off his skills.  

But in 1995, he participated in his final Test match. In just 17 Test matches, the left-hander amassed 1084 runs at an average of 54.20, including three fifties and four hundreds, with a peak score of 227.

Along with playing in the 1996 World Cup, Kambli scored 2477 runs at an average of 32.59 in 104 One-Day Internationals for India. In 2000, he made his final appearance in an ODI. In 2009 and 2011, he declared his retirement from both international and first-class cricket, respectively.

I had warned Vinod Kambli: Yograj Singh

Yograj Singh recently disclosed in an exclusive interview with InsideSport that he had advised Kambli to quit smoking and partying, among other things. 

The 67-year-old Yograj Singh went on to say that he had cautioned Kambli, but the 53-year-old disregarded his warning and is now suffering.

“I told Vinod Kambli once, ‘These parties, smoking cigarettes, going to girls – stop it; otherwise you’ll be finished, and you’ll be crying.' See what happened to him. I was talking to him personally but then he said, ‘Sir, apka time chala gaya (your time has passed).' He used to think, ‘I’m the king.’ You are not bigger than the game,” Yograj said.

Over the past few months, Kambli has been going to the hospital for a number of medical conditions. He has battled heart problems, brain clots, and urinary tract infections. Many people think Kambli's off-field actions cost him a potentially fantastic cricket career.

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