It is sad to see that a talented cricketer’s life is in ruins today because of a combination of ill health, bad luck, and a drinking problem.
The unfortunate man who is under the spotlight is Vinod Kambli, one of the most talented cricketers to have emerged from India.
Kambli was as gifted as Sachin. But he played only 17 Tests and 104 ODIs. In Tests, his batting average was an outstanding 54.20 and his highest was 227. However, he played his last Test at the age of 23 and then his career ended prematurely. That is an age when many others begin their careers. His ODI career lasted only five years longer.
Now, at the age of 52, he looks like a 70 year-old-man. Last year his wife lodged an FIR against him for domestic violence. A few months ago a video showed him unable to walk by himself. Now again a video has emerged where he is seen looking old and unsteady. It has left cricket fans in shock and a hot debate is raging about the erroneous decisions he has made in life.
Blessed with great talent
There is no doubt that Kambli was blessed with great talent from a young age. After his world-record partnership with Sachin Tendulkar, many said that Kambli would outshine Sachin. In domestic cricket, even experienced front-line bowlers like Anil Kumble found it difficult to bowl to him. What went wrong with his future?
To understand that unfortunate occurrence, we have to consider another question: what constitutes cricketing talent? To a casual observer, talent would seem to be a batsman’s ability to hit every ball hard and a bowler’s ability to take wickets.
Rahul Dravid’s definition
But Rahul Dravid has given a much wider definition of the word talent. Says he, talent is not only the physical skill that is seen by everyone but also the ability to make the right choices in one’s life and career. The intelligence to choose wisely is also a talent and if this does not accompany the physical talent then it may all go to waste. That is what seems to have happened in the case of the flamboyant Kambli.
Perhaps Kambli got carried away by his success. He could hit the ball in any way he wanted. Maybe he felt that he could do anything and get away with it. He failed to apply himself and as a result, his diligence flagged. The further distraction in his life was his love for liquor. It all added up and brought his cricket career to an early end.
He did have a weakness in countering short-pitched deliveries but he could have overcome that by perfecting his technique. Cricket experts feel that he did not put in enough effort to conquer that flaw. It was his fascination for the glamorous aspects of life such as fame, film offers, and nightclub parties that took precedence over his commitment to the sport.
Not the first
He is not the first sportsman to have succumbed to this fatal attraction. Many others in India and abroad have failed due to similar reasons. The example of Irish footballer George Best comes to mind. He was one of the most amazing wizards to be seen in world football in the 1960s and 1970s. But alcohol and partying habits ruined his career. At the age of 59, he died.
Kambli’s plight shows how important it is to stay focused on the objective that anyone sets before oneself. If sportsmen want to succeed, they should not get distracted by frivolous activities. Discipline is what matters most in life. They must make sacrifices if they want rewards.
Lesson for youngsters
His troubled life and botched career should serve as a lesson to youngsters who are striving to rise in cricket. In these modern times, the IPL provides a chance for many young players to hit the jackpot very early in their lives.
But as Rahul Dravid has pointed out, sportsmen must not only master techniques of batting and bowling but also learn to make the right decisions in life. They must give less importance to fame, fortune, and glamour. Their only attention should be on how to succeed in cricket.
