Get well soon Kapil-the nation needs you...
It was a lazy Thursday afternoon . In the Pandemic situation people across the country were busy celebrating Mahasaptami in a stymied way that the news of arguably India’s greatest cricketer Kapil Dev Nikhanj suffering a heart attack trickled in. The first reaction of one and all was an initial disbelief -“aisa ho nahi sakta”.
It is said that cricket is not a mere sport in India-it is a religion-a religion where there is no divide. People cutting across all religion, caste, creed or other divides enjoy Indian cricket and stand in unison while supporting the sport . The Indians also believe that Sachin Tendulkar, arguably the greatest batsman the world has witnessed since the legendary Don Bradman, is its GOD.
But much before Sachin Tendulkar entered the cricketing arena a young lad, hardly 18 years of age,hailing from Haryana, strongly built with dreams in his eyes , with heart of a lion, took the country by storm. Such was his talent Kapil was drafted straight into the Indian Test team that visited Pakistan in 1978 under the captaincy of Bishen Singh Bedi. Kapil, at the age of 18, made his debut in the Faisalabad Test. Though the Test is being remembered as one where both Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath scored centuries ( previously this incident happened in Port of Spain in 1976), young Kapil Dev had made an impact. In the second innings of that match Kapil got his first Test scalp when he got Sadiq Mohammad, the Pakistani opener caught in gully. A journey towards stardom had begun as a new star appeared on the horizon of India’s cricket.
Kapil Dev has been India’s only genuine allrounder. His 434 Test wickets and 5000 plus runs in131 Test matches and nearly 4000 runs and over 250 one day wickets hold testimony to his great allround abilities. One should not forget that pitches in India those days used to be docile and spin friendly. Kapil whom Gavaskar said “the only Indian cricketer who was an athlete” bowled his heart out from one end. Unlike today’s fast bowlers he used to bowl non stop on pitches which did not offer any help. Kapil was never a fiery bowler, per-se, as he was a crafty swing bowler who made the ball talk. He was so fit that he never missed a Test match on account of injury. Those days batsmen were hardly adjudged LBW on front foot; otherwise, Kapil Dev’s tally of wickets would have crossed 600. Kapil Dev will be remembered a hero for winning the Prudential World Cup held in England in 1983. History was written on 25 th of June that year when Kapil Dev led an otherwise ordinary team to its zenith. Who can forget his masterly 175 n.o against Zimbabwe in a league stage match when India was reeling after losing 5 wickets below 40 runs on board?Kapil in that match played like a Tiger unleashed and changed the fortune in favour of India.
Yesterday, the nation felt excruciating pain when the news of Kapil suffering heart attack came in. He had to undergo an emergency Angioplasty at Fortis hospital. The entire nation, forgetting everything, stood by him and his family wishing him speedy recovery. Kapil Dev Nikhanj is an idol having a lion’s heart and a lion fights till it wins.
Get well soon Kapil. The nation needs you.
Sir nicely penned
ReplyDeleteKapil dev,the greatest all rounder india ever produced,equally a simple person,always grounded.We all wish for his speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteNice and thoughtful write up. Kapil Dev known to be *Haryana Hurricane* in his early days because of his all round performance and specially because of his batting (scoring runs in one day style even in Test Cricket). He is amongst very first Cricketers who taught Indian Team to fight back even in adverse conditions. His debut tour to Pakistan in 1978 is the testimony to this. In his very first innings of International Test against Pakistan in 1978 he was sent as a night watchman (batsman whose role is to defend the wicket till the end of day's play by sticking up to the wicket without making any stroke play. But, as this was not his nature, he went on to the ground and played an hurricane innings by playing all round strokes and hitting boundaries in his brief innings wherein he made around 40 odd runs before getting out in the last over of the day. He had shown the potential and the spirit in his very first Test Match. Later, he proved himself to be the greatest all rounder India ever produced. Who can forget his innings of 175 not out against Zimbabwe in the World Cup Match in 1983, when India's scire read 17 for 5. And LATER the glorious moment of grabbing the Cricket World Cup beating the mighty West Indies in the finals. It's from thereon that the cricketing world started recognising India as a major team in the International Cricket Arena. His immense contribution to Indian Cricket has placed India at the Top of today's worldwide Cricketing affairs. And as he was known as a fighter in his cricketing days, in real life too, he is a true fighter and would come out of any adversities of his current health.
ReplyDeleteGet well soon Kapil Paaji..
Absolutely Sir. A gem of a human being he preached what he said..
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