How Sachin Tendulkar helped Vinod Kambli return to cricket

Vinod Kambli, who played his last international for India against Sri Lanka in 2000, has now turned to coaching and credited Sachin Tendulkar for prodding him to take that step.

Former Indian teammates Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli are well known for their partnerships on the field, and friendship off it.

Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli have known each other from their school days.(HT Photo)

Kambli, who played his last international for India against Sri Lanka in 2000, has now turned to coaching and credited Tendulkar for prodding him to take that step.

“When I retired from cricket, it occurred to me -- now what? I thought I will take up commentary or become a TV presenter. But my love has always been cricket, so I got down on to the field.

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“And that is Sachin’s doing. Sachin knows how much I love cricket, so he said to me ‘why don’t you take up coaching’? He has shown me the path, I just have to walk on it. I am very grateful to him. So, I would say he has had a big hand in bringing me back on to the field. And I will not let down Sachin,” said Kambli.

Tendulkar and Kambli were both students of Mumbai’s best-known coaches -- Ramakant Achrekar. Under his guidance, the duo had gone on to post a then record partnership of 664 in the Harris Shield Tournament in 1998.

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Kambli felt it was time to pass on Achrekar’s teachings as he launched the Shirke Infrastructure Cricket Coaching Academy at the Mumbai Cricket Association.

“The time has come to pass it on to the next generation what we have leant from Achrekar Sir. If the youngsters can take advantage of this, it will be great.

“I would like to inculcate the values Achrekar Sir passed on, especially getting the basics right all the time, whether you are playing for school or Ranji Trophy or your country,” said the left-handed batsman.

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He recalled one of Achrekar’s saying.

“One thing I always remember, something I am going to pass on to the students, is how people usually say ‘practice makes a man perfect’. But Achrekar Sir used to say: ‘Perfect practice makes a man perfect’. So, that’s how Sachin and I, and all his students, work towards having a perfect practice.”