Former Indian legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar reckons Kapil Dev is the biggest match-winner India has ever produced. Gavaskar who shares a great bonhomie with the former World Cup-winning captain, feels Dev had the skills to win the match with both bat and ball.
Kapil Dev had played a key role in leading India to their maiden World Cup triumph in 1983. The all-rounder had scored 303 runs in eight matches at an average of 60.60 and he was India’s leading run-getter.
Dev had also scored a magnificent knock of 175 runs against Zimbabwe when the team was reeling at 17-5. Kapil had also taken a fine catch of Viv Richards while running back in the final of the 1983 World Cup.
Famously known as the Haryana Hurricane, Dev was known to swing the ball both ways. The right-arm bowler finished his Test career with 434 wickets in 131 matches and scored 5248 runs. Kapil scored 3783 runs in 225 matches and scalped 253 wickets in his ODI career. Ergo, Dev is regarded as the best all-rounder ever produced by the Indian team.
“In my opinion, Kapil Dev is the biggest match-winner India has ever produced. This is so because he could win games both with his batting and bowling abilities,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying by Jagran.com.
Gavaskar recalled his first meeting with Kapil Dev when he played against him at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium in 1978. Dev was bowling from wide of the crease and Gavaskar had no issues in leaving the balls. Subsequently, the Little Master suggested Kapil to bowl from close to the stumps.
Kapil Dev was then able to trouble the Mumbai batsmen following Gavaskar’s advice. Gavaskar added that Dev respected him more after this incident.
Meanwhile, Gavaskar also recalled that some of the former players and board members tried to create differences between him and Kapil Dev. However, both the players never paid heed to those people and have always maintained a great camaraderie.
“Few members of the board and some players who had retired at the time joined hands with the media and tried to create differences between us,” Gavaskar said.
“But we were always thinking about the betterment of the sport in the country and that is why we never let it bother us.”
Both Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev were instrumental in the success of the team over their playing years. Consequently, both the players inspired the young Indian generation to take up the sport.
