Vinod Kambli makes emotional appearance at Wankhede Stadium

Vinod Kambli (Screengrab)

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Vinod Kambli made an emotional appearance at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium during Mumbai Indians’ final IPL 2026 match, with videos of him struggling to walk quickly going viral on social media. Kambli, once regarded as one of India’s brightest batting talents, was seen being supported by two as he slowly made his way through the stadium. Despite looking physically weak, the 54-year-old appeared cheerful and in good spirits. His public appearance also seemed to support earlier statements made by his wife Andrea Hewitt, who had dismissed rumours suggesting his health had worsened significantly. Kambli has faced serious health problems in recent years, including issues linked to a brain clot. Earlier this month, his friend Marcus Couto had revealed that the former cricketer was dealing with memory problems after being hospitalised nearly 18 months ago. “Ever since he was hospitalised in Thane about 18 months ago, Kambli has had a clot in his brain. His memory is not good. He remembers things and then forgets about them,” Couto had said. Watch the viral video: After concerns spread online, Kambli’s wife Andrea strongly rejected claims that his condition was critical. “By God's grace, Vinod is fine. I don't know who is spreading false information about his health,” she told India Today. Kambli’s appearance at Wankhede offered relief to many cricket fans who were worried about his condition. Once seen as a batting prodigy alongside childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar, Kambli played 17 Tests and 104 ODIs for India before personal struggles and health issues affected his life after cricket. The match itself ended badly for Mumbai Indians as Rajasthan Royals secured a comfortable 30-run victory to seal the final IPL playoff spot. Despite fighting knocks from Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya , MI failed to chase down Rajasthan’s 205-run target.