Vinod Kambli

Vinod Ganpat Kambli, popularly known as Vinod Kambli, is a former professional cricketer for the Indian men’s cricket team in Tests and ODIs between 1991 and 2000. He was born on January 18, 1972, in Bombay (now Mumbai) in Maharashtra. Kambli played as a middle-order batter who played with elegance while batting left-handed and bowled right-arm off-break occasionally. In the domestic setup, Kambli played for the Mumbai cricket team. 

Kmabi was the childhood friend of former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Thanks to the left-right combination, the duo shot to the limelight when they posted a mammoth record partnership of an unbeaten 664-run stand in the semifinal of the Harris Shield tournament in February 1988. He had the distinct reputation of hitting the first ball of his Ranji Trophy career for a six. Kambli announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in September 2011.

Vinod Kambli: Along the years

Vinod Kambli's records

• Third-youngest batter to score a double century in Test cricket (21 years and 32 days)

• First Indian to score consecutive double centuries in Test cricket

• First and only batter to score consecutive centuries against three different opponents (England, Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka)

• Joint third-fastest to score 1000 runs in Test cricket (14 innings)

• Fastest Indian batter to score 1000 runs in Test cricket (14 innings)

• First batter to score an ODI century on his birthday

Vinod Kambli's awards and accolades

• Part of the Indian squad that finished as runners-up in the ICC Knockout Trophy 2000

Vinod Kambli's career

Vinod Kambli started playing cricket at a young age and started his professional career at the age of 17 in 1989. He played his last professional match in 2004 during the Ranji Trophy 2004-2005 season. Kambli was a domestic giant, as he had accumulated 9965 runs in 129 first-class (FC) matches and 6476 runs in 221 List-A matches.

Vinod Kambli's domestic career

Vinod Kambli made his domestic debut for the Mumbai cricket team in the 1989-90 domestic season. In 181 first-class (FC) innings, he amassed 9965 runs at a whopping average of 59.67, which included 35 centuries, 44 half-centuries, and a personal best of 262. He also scored 6476 runs in 204 List-A innings at an average of 41.24, including 11 centuries, 35 half-centuries, and a career-best of 149. According to The Hindu, Kambli announced his retirement from first-class cricket in September 2011.

Vinod Kambli's international career

After announcing his arrival in domestic cricket, Vinod Kambli stepped up in international cricket for the first time in an ODI in the Wills Trophy in 1991. He was last featured in international cricket at an ODI in October 2000. Kambli announced his retirement from international cricket in 2009.

Vinod Kambli's Test career

Under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin, Vinod Kambli made his Test debut for the Indian men’s cricket team against England in the first Test of England’s tour of India in 1993 in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on January 29, 1993. He scored 16 runs off 28 balls in the first innings before being dismissed by Paul Jarvis. In the second innings, Kambli was unbeaten on 18 runs off 26 balls with Sachin Tendulkar, as India chased a modest target of 79 runs.

In the second Test held at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 11, 1993, Kambli scored his maiden half-century in Test cricket before being dismissed leg-before-wicket by Graeme Hick for 59 runs off 94 balls. In the third and final Test held at his home ground in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on February 19, 1993, Kambli smashed his maiden Test century and converted it to a double century in the second innings. Kambli stitched a 194-run stand with Sachin Tendulkar and scored 224 runs off 411 balls, including 23 boundaries. 

At 21 years and 32 days, Kambli became the third-youngest player to score a double century in Test cricket, only behind Javed Miandad (PAK) and George Headley (ENG). According to The Times of India, he became the first Indian batter to score consecutive double centuries. According to India Today, Kambli is the first and only cricketer to score three back-to-back centuries against three different opponents, including England, Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka. He also became the fastest Indian and the joint third-fastest overall to amass 1000 runs in Test cricket. Kambli achieved this feat in 14 innings and joined the likes of former Australian batter Neil Harvey. He finished his Test career with 1084 runs in 21 innings at an average of 54.20, including four centuries and three half-centuries, with a career-best of 227.

Vinod Kambli's ODI career

On October 18, 1991, Vinod Kambli made his international debut in an ODI against Pakistan in the second match of the Wills Trophy tri-series involving India, Pakistan, and the West Indies. At the age of 19, he made his ODI debut under the leadership of Mohammad Azharuddin but did not get a chance to bat. On October 19, 1991, Kambli remained unbeaten on 23 runs off 29 balls in his maiden outing with the bat, in the third match of the series against the West Indies.

Kambli was part of the Indian squad that featured in the Benson and Hedges World Cup 1992. He managed to score only 29 runs in the four innings that he played. In the second ODI of England’s tour of India in 1993, Kambli smashed his maiden ODI century at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. With that unbeaten 100 off 149 balls, Kambli became the first batter to score a century on their birthday, on January 18, 1993. In the process, Kambli also scored a 164-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar and broke the record of the highest partnership for the fourth wicket held by Kris Srikkanth and Azharuddin.

He went on to feature in the Wills World Cup 1996 and scored 176 runs in 7 innings, remained unbeaten on three occasions, and hit a century against Zimbabwe. Kambli was also a part of the Indian squad that finished as runners-up against New Zealand in the ICC Knockout Trophy 2000. He last featured in an ODI against Sri Lanka in the final of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy 2000, on October 29, 2000. He was dismissed early for 3 runs by Chaminda Vaas, as India finished as runners-up in the tri-series involving India, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. Overall, Kambli represented the Indian cricket team in 104 ODIs and scored 2477 runs in 97 innings, at an average of 32.59 and a strike rate of 71.94, including a couple of centuries and 14 half-centuries. 

Vinod Kambli's captaincy

Vinod Kambli played his last matches in first-class (FC) cricket and List-A cricket as captain respectively for the Mumbai cricket team. In his final Ranji Trophy appearance on November 16, 2004, in the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Kambli took a wicket in the first innings and scored 68 runs off 99 balls in the second innings as captain against Madhya Pradesh. His final innings consisted of 24 runs off 25 balls in the fourth innings. However, the match ended in a draw.

Similar to his final FC appearance, Kambli was also the captain of the Mumbai team in his final List-A match on February 9, 2004, in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in the Ranji One-Day Trophy. He scored 31 runs off 59 balls in the first innings against Bengal and won the game by a margin of 5 runs.

Vinod Kambli's family

Vinod Kambli was born to his parents Ganpat Kambli and Vijaya Kambli. He has a sister named Vidya Kambli, and three brothers named Vidyadhar Kambli, Virendra Kambli, and Vikas Kambli. According to News18, Kambli and his former wife Noella Lewis parted ways. According to Vinod’s official Instagram handle, he is married to his second spouse, Andrea Hewitt, as of January 2025. The couple has two children, including a son named Jesus Christiano Kambli and Johanna Christiana Kambli.