Vinod Kambli — stylish cricketer and colourful character — now wants to return to mainstream cricket, again. Having taken a sabbatical of sorts from Indian cricket — playing professional league cricket for Boland in South Africa — the southpaw had his wish granted to a large extent with the Mumbai selectors naming him in the probables’ list for the forthcoming Ranji season. Happy-go-lucky Kambli says this time ‘‘it’s mission comeback’’. ‘‘I very much want to be back in the Mumbai and Indian team as well.’’ But how does he rate his chances to earn a place in the Indian team again with a number of changes having taken place since he was last part of the set up? ‘‘It’s up to the selectors. My job is to play and perform. But I’ll try my best and never give up.’’ For those who’d keep their fingers crossed on his return, Kambli promises to be daring and different. ‘‘You’ll see a different Vinod Kambli this time. I am training very hard and have lost a lot of weight. I am raising the bar for myself.’’ Commenting on Kambli’s return, former Indian captain and chairman of the Mumbai selection committee Dilip Vengsarkar said, ‘‘Though the player is not on trial he will have to show form and fitness. We will watch his progress during the training camp.’’ The schoolmate and chum of Sachin Tendulkar who made headlines making his magnum blaze in the early nineties left Mumbai in the lurch last season. With not much experience in the side left thanks to the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar and former captain Sameer Dighe, Kambli was expected to guide the fortunes. Instead he left for South Africa. ‘‘I was trying to gain more experience,’’ he explains, adding, ‘‘but I was following Mumbai’s progress in the Ranji last season.’’ While Kambli will attend the pre-season 45 day training at the Wankhede Stadium from July 28, Tendulkar and Agarkar will join the Indian team for a conditioning camp at Bangalore from August 10.
