The renowned Indian opener, Sunil Gavaskar, has praised the leadership of former all-rounder Kapil Dev during the 1983 World Cup. Gavaskar asserts that Kapil's captaincy was precisely what Indian cricket required at that time, particularly in that format.
Sunil Gavaskar reminisced about Kapil Dev's pivotal catch of Vivian Richards during the 1983 World Cup final. He also praised the former Indian captain for his composure under pressure, noting that he did not react aggressively when his teammates dropped a catch.
In an exclusive interview with TOI on the 40th anniversary of India's historic 1983 World Cup victory, Gavaskar shared his thoughts on Kapil Dev.
"Kapil’s performances with both bat and ball were dazzling to say the least. Not to forget his catch of Viv Richards in the final. His captaincy was dynamic, exactly what the format required, and his ready smile even when a player dropped a catch or mis-fielded makes him the original captain cool."
Sunil Gavaskar reminisced about the euphoric moment when the Indian cricket team clinched the 1983 World Cup. He vividly recalls the jubilant atmosphere in the dressing room, where every player was beaming with joy. According to Gavaskar, no words can truly capture the overwhelming emotions of becoming world champions.
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"It’s hard to put in words what those moments after the win felt like. It would have made a great advert for toothpaste as everybody around us were laughing and smiling and to see that was simply heart-lifting," he said.
Sunil Gavaskar also took a cheeky dig at England by claiming that they change the venue of the World Test Championship final when their team fails to qualify.
"Hopefully, the same will happen with the World Test Championship and the next finals will be in a different country. When the cycle is announced, it says the finals will be at Lord’s, but the moment England fail to qualify, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) changes it to another venue as we have seen with the last two editions," he added.
The first three editions of the World Cup were played in England. Since then, numerous countries have had the privilege of hosting this esteemed tournament.
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