Vinod Kambli, former Indian batsman, on Tuesday said that it is his childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar, who had convinced him to take up coaching and give back to the game which had given him everything. Both Kambli and Tendulkar were students of coach Ramakant Achrekar and both went on to represent India at the highest level.
“When I retired from cricket, it had occurred to me, now what, I thought will do commentary or I was a expert on TV. But my love has always been cricket, so I got on to the field,” Kambli said.
He was speaking to reporters after a cricket coaching academy was launched at the Bandra Kurla Complex of the Mumbai Cricket Association, where Kambli will be conducting the sessions.
“Sachin knows how much I love cricket, so he said to me why don’t you start coaching, so I would say that I have embarked a path which he has shown and I have started on it,” Kambli said.
“So I would say that he has a big hand in bringing me back on to the field. Whatever we have learnt from Achrekar Sir, so I think the time has come, that to pass it on to the next generation, if the youngsters can take advantage of this, it will be great,” he added.