India’s former cricketer Vinod Kambli will celebrate his 48th birthday on January 18, 2020 (Saturday). He played for India from 1991 to 2000 as a middle-order batsman as well as for Mumbai in India’s domestic circuit and represented Boland cricket team in South Africa. Kambli was the first man in international cricket to score a century on his birthday in a One-Day game. He was one of India’s finest Test batsman as he scored over 1000 runs in 17 Tests with an average of over 54. So on the occasion of his birthday, we take a look at some of his finest performances. Vinod Kambli Slams Javed Miandad, Says ‘You Should Focus on Checking Which Other Country Wants to Tour Pakistan’ (See Tweet).

Kambli hails from Indira Nagar, Pimpri Chinchwad, a suburb of Pune. He was one of the best players in India’s domestic circuit and performances in First-Class and List-A cricket got him his first shot at the international stage. He made his ODI and Test debuts for the national side in 1991 and 1993 respectively. In Tests, Kambli has four centuries including two double centuries and holds the record of the fastest Indian player to reach 1000 Test runs (14 innings). Kambli had a staggering record in the longest format of the game, he is the only cricketer to hit three consecutive Test centuries in three innings, all against different countries. Here are some of his best knocks.

224 vs England, Mumbai (1993)

This was Kambli’s third Test and the left-handed batsman smashed his maiden Test century. Kambli was the pick of the Indian batsmen as his double century helped India to post a second innings score of 591. India eventually went on to win the match by an innings and 15 runs. Kambli was on the pitch for more than ten hours during this innings.

227 vs Zimbabwe, Delhi (1993)

After scoring his maiden double ton against England, Vinod Kambli carried the form in his next game and again smashed a double century. He scored 227 of 331 deliveries in an innings that lasted over seven hours. This helped India to post a first innings score of 536/7 and eventually won the game by an innings and 13 runs.

125 vs Sri Lanka, Colombo (1993)

After recording double centuries against England and Zimbabwe, Kambli smashed yet another century in his very next Test innings. His 125 vs Sri Lanka in 1993 made him the only cricketer to score three consecutive tons in three innings against different oppositions.

100 vs England, Jaipur (1993)

This was a bittersweet knock for Vinod Kambli as the left-handed batsman smashed a brilliant century (not out) in the first innings of the ODI and became the first player to score a ton on his birthday. But his heroics were not enough as England chased down the target of 224 set by India.

On August 15, 2009, Kambli launched his own academy named Khel Bharti Sports Academy in Mumbai and announced his retirement from cricket as he wished ton coach at the academy. Vinod Kambli is married twice and after his second marriage, he converted to Christianity, naming his second son Jesus Christiano Kambli.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 18, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).