Sunil Gavaskar’s The Champs Foundation will give financial help to former Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli, who has been facing health problems. The foundation will pay him ₹30,000 every month for the rest of his life and will also give him ₹30,000 every year to help with medical costs, as reported by The Times of India.
Sunil Gavaskar’s Foundation Steps In to Support Vinod Kambli
Gavaskar met Kambli during the 50th anniversary celebration of Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The legendary cricketer had a short chat with Kambli, who had just recovered from health issues and came to the event in January 2025, along with other famous Mumbai cricketers.
According to the report, Gavaskar met with Kambli’s doctors the day after seeing him at Wankhede Stadium. After learning about Kambli’s health problems, he asked The Champs Foundation to start giving him financial and medical help. The report says Kambli will begin receiving ₹30,000 per month from April 1.
In December 2024, Vinod Kambli was first taken to a private hospital in Thane because of a urinary infection and cramps. But later, doctors found blood clots in his brain. During his 10-day hospital stay, Kambli looked weak and spoke to the media from his hospital bed. He was discharged on January 1, 2025.
The 1983 World Cup Team Shows Solidarity
While speaking to India Today during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Sunil Gavaskar said that the 1983 World Cup-winning team was planning to help Vinod Kambli.
“The 1983 team is very conscious of the younger players. For me, they are like grandsons. If you see their age, some are like sons. We are all very concerned, particularly when fortunes desert them. I don’t like the word ‘help’. What the 1983 team wants to do is take care of him. We want to take care of Vinod Kambli and help him get back on his feet,” Gavaskar said.
Vinod Kambli has been dealing with health problems for a while. Last year, a video of him meeting Sachin Tendulkar at an event for their childhood coach, Ramakant Achrekar, went viral. Many were shocked by how weak Kambli looked.
Despite this, he stayed positive during his recent recovery in Thane. Just three days after being hospitalized, he was seen singing a motivational song and thanked everyone for their support. In an emotional message, he said he wasn’t ready to give up on cricket.
Kambli, once a powerful left-handed batsman, shared that his son wants to play cricket too, and he hopes to support his dream.
He played 17 Tests and 104 ODIs for India from 1991 to 2000, scoring over 1,000 runs in Tests at an average of 54.20 and 2,477 runs in ODIs. But injuries, poor form, and discipline issues cut his career short.
After retiring, Kambli tried coaching, TV shows, and politics but didn’t find much success. Despite his passion, he couldn’t land a lasting role in Indian cricket.
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