Former India cricketer Vinod Kambli on Friday took to social media platform Koo to share an old picture featuring his close friend, cricket great Sachin Tendulkar. The picture also features two other cricketers. “Bane chahe dushman zamana hamara salamat rahe dostana hamara (even if the world becomes our enemy, may our friendship remain intact),” Kambli wrote in the text accompanying the picture on Koo. Kambli and Tendulkar are childhood friends and were teammates in their school, state as well as the Indian national team.

The duo had shot to fame as students after an astonishing 664-run unbroken partnership in a school cricket game in 1998. Kambli scored 349 not out while Tendulkar made 326 not out in a Harris Shield semi-final match.

While Tendulkar went on to become one of the greatest cricketers of all time, Kambli’s international career never quite took off despite a blistering start.

The cricketer from Mumbai played 17 Tests and 104 Tests for India and scored over 3500 runs across both formats.

In Tests, Kambli would finish with an incredible average of 54.20 despite not featuring in the team after his 17th appearance.

Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by YouGov, an internet-based market research and data analytics firm, adjudged Tendulkar as the 12th “Most Admired Man”.

This year’s study surveyed more than 42,000 people in 38 countries and territories to compile the list.
Among sporting heroes, Tendulkar is third in the list behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.