India, June 11 -- How the mighty have fallen. It's no secret that Vinod Kambli, once touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, got consumed by glamour and eventually threw his life and career away. When he recently emerged as part of the unveiling of the Ramakant Achrekar memorial in Mumbai, his visuals created a sense of panic among the public. The way he reached out to his childhood buddy Sachin Tendulkar, clutched his hand, and refused to let go, things looked bad, with the public wishing for his speedy recovery.

Eventually, Kambli was diagnosed with several health issues, including a urinary infection. Looking at his conditions, India's 1983 World Cup-winning squad reached out to him, offering to lend support for his rehab. Kam...