Vinod Ganpat Kambli (born 18 January 1972 in Mumbai, Maharashtra) is a former Indian cricketer and one of the most naturally talented yet unfulfilled talents in Indian cricket history. He grew up in Kanjurmarg, Mumbai, and attended Shardashram Vidyamandir School, where in 1988 he and his childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar — both coached by Ramakant Achrekar — stitched together a then-world-record 664-run unbroken partnership in a Harris Shield inter-school match, with both scoring unbeaten triple centuries. The exploits of both schoolboys made headlines nationally. Kambli made his Test debut on 29 January 1993 and quickly dazzled the cricket world — scoring three consecutive centuries in his first three Tests (a feat unmatched), including a double century against Zimbabwe and a century against England. He holds the highest career batting average (54.20) of any Indian Test batsman in history. Despite this prodigious talent, his international career was marred by personal struggles, fitness issues, and off-field controversies, and he played his last Test at just 23. He appeared in 17 Tests and 104 ODIs before his final international appearance in 2000. He has been married twice: to Noella Lewis (1998) and then Andrea Hewitt. He has suffered multiple health crises in later life including heart attacks in 2013, and significant financial difficulties. He is godfather to Sachin Tendulkar's son Arjun. In October 2009, he entered Bigg Boss Season 3 as a wildcard contestant on Day 33 (Week 5). He was evicted in Week 7 (Day 47) after 14 days in the house, finishing 9th overall.

Highest Test batting average (54.20) among Indian batsmen in history; world record 664-run partnership with childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar in a 1988 Harris Shield school match; 17 Tests and 104 ODIs for India (1991–2000); first cricketer to score an ODI century on his own birthday; left-handed batsman considered among the most naturally gifted Indian cricketers of his generation.

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