Sachin Tendulkar has forgotten me, says Vinod Kambli

November 22, 2013

Sachin_Tendulkar_copyMumbai, Nov 22: Sachin Tendulkar averaging 53.78 in test cricket fell narrowly short of Vinod Kambli's test average of 54.20. Sachin's career of course spread over a staggering 200 tests while Kambli lasted 17 test matches.

Common friends of both Shardashram team mates say Vinod's hurt stems from this reality. Vinod disagrees and says its Sachin who has cut off the friendship.

From the time Vinod Kambli spoke out in a reality show Sach ka saamna 7 years ago saying Sachin has not done enough for him things have not been the same between the two.

Vinod chooses to bring the split in friendship out in the open again expressing hurt on not being invited to Sachin's post retirement bash.

"I am deeply hurt. I was expecting my name to be part of his farewell speech. If anything for our famous partnership. Its that world record partnership that was the turning point of our careers. That's when everyone came to know who is Vinod and Sachin. I had a hand in that and our careers started from there. I thought he could have mentioned that part at least.

The other shocking part was all his team mates, friends and family were invited to party after retirement and I was not invited. My family and I were upset, sad and disturbed. I have been part of Sachin's life from being 10 years old, off the field as well. We have shared lot of good and bad times. I have always been there for him. All I can say that he has forgotten me," he opens up speaking to media.

Sources close to both say Vinod and Sachin never became family friends. They were just very very good friends in school. And that friendship was tested several times as both became India team mates. Sachin became a superstar playing two years of international cricket and although Vinod had a dream start to his own India career with back to back double centuries in his first seven tests, once he lost his place he could never reclaim the form of old and could not succeed in his many international comebacks.

"When I needed him the most he was not there that's why I said it in the show. If you looked at the facts I don't know why I was dropped from Indian side," Kambli accuses Sachin again for not doing enough for him.

Two years elder to Sachin, Vinod had famously gifted his school friend 30 vada pavs on his 30th birthday a gift he had graciously accepted then. But since his public outburst Sachin despite maintaining stony silence has shut himself off the friendship completely.

"You will be shocked to know when I had a child he did not come to see my child that's what our friendship has come to," he complains.

"I have tried SMSing him and would get cold reply, thanks. I can say he has stopped talking, not me," he adds.

Its easy to be dismissive of Kambli's outburst. His life and career graph have taken many down turns. But it would be interesting to dwell into the other mind as well. Whether Sachin actually feels hurt that things had to come to this.

Sachin was 14 when they hit the record Harris shield record 664 run partnership while Vinod was 16. Those were the days when he spent greater time of the day together with Kambli than with family, toiling in the maidans, sharing the kind of jokes he may not have been able to with anyone else, eating from the same plates. Childhood friendships die hard.

"Our friendship was like a mirror. We have played partied together. If he calls me up I will be there standing next to him. Time is a great healer. We have come a long way from boy to man with different responsibilities," he expresses hope.

Only to add, "There are so many people around him who may be putting bad things about me in his mind. He has stopped talking. If he calls me I will be there."

Perhaps the mistrust is too deep. Vinod says Sachin has hurt him. Unfortunately Sachin may be feeling the same.

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News Network
July 5,2020

Colombo, Jul 5: Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis was on Sunday arrested for knocking down a pedestrian while driving, police said.

Mendis hit a 74-year-old man, killing him in the wee hours, in the Colombo suburb of Panadura.

He is to be produced before a magistrate later today, police said.

The 25-year-old wicket-keeper batsman has represented Sri Lanka in 44 Tests and 76 ODIs. Mendis was part of the national squad which had resumed training after the Covid-19 lockdown.

Sri Lanka's international assignments, including a tour by India, have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

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News Network
February 24,2020

Feb 24: India captain Virat Kohli had no qualms in admitting that his team was outplayed by New Zealand in the opening Test but said they "can't help" if a few want to make a "big deal" out of the 10-wicket defeat. Hosts New Zealand thrashed India by 10 wickets at the Basin Reverse on Monday to go 1-0 ahead in the two-match series. This was India's first defeat in the World Test Championship, coming after two inept batting efforts. "We know we haven't played well but if people want to make a big deal out of it, make a mountain out of it, we can't help it as we don't think like that," the skipper said at the post-match media interaction.

Kohli said he fails to comprehend why one Test match defeat should be made to look like the end of the world for his team.

"For some people, it might be the end of the world but it's not. For us, it's a game of cricket that we lost and we move on and keep our heads high," Kohli said.

It is the acceptance of defeat that defines the character of a side, the world's premier batsman said.

"We understand that we need to play well to win, also at home. There's no cakewalk at international level as teams will come and beat you. You accept it and that defines our character as a side."

It is the acceptance of defeat that defines the character of a side, the world's premier batsman said. "We understand that we need to play well to win, also at home. There's no cakewalk at international level as teams will come and beat you. You accept it and that defines our character as a side."

If he had given credence to the "outside chatter", he said the team wouldn't have been where it is now.

"That's why we have been able to play this kind of cricket. If we would have paid attention to the outside chatter, we would again be at No. 7 or 8 in the rankings. We don't really bother about what people are saying on the outside," the skipper said.

One defeat can't make a team, which has been winning games of Test cricket, "bad overnight".

"If we have lost then we have no shame in accepting that. It means we didn't play this game well. It doesn't mean that we have become a bad team overnight. People might want to change our thoughts, but it doesn't work like that."

The self-belief is intact and Kohli was confident the team would come back stronger in the second Test, to be held in Christchurch in four days time.

"We will work hard, and after four days play just like we have played all these years. Just because we have lost one match in between all wins, doesn't mean that the belief is gone. The dressing room thinks differently and team atmosphere is different."

Kohli felt that there is a very thin line between being ultra-defensive and over-attacking, something that his team didn't get it right in this Test match.

"New Zealand got into the mind of the batsmen and make the batsmen do something that they don't want to. think that's a very thin line and a very delicate balance of when to attack and when to put bowlers under pressure which we failed to do in this match and there is no harm in accepting that."

According to Kohli, it was a combination of both good bowling from the Kiwis and Indian batsmen not putting the pressure back on bowlers, which led to the drubbing.

"That has got to do with partly good bowling from New Zealand and partly us not pressing that momentum on to them when required. "It was perfect for them because they bowled well and we allowed them to bowl well for longer periods rather than doing something about it in a partnership."

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

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