Kapil Dev

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Kapil Dev India (Ind)
Batting style	Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling type	Right-arm fast-medium (RFM)
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	131	225
Runs scored	5,248	3,783
Batting average	31.05	23.79
100s/50s	8/27	1/14
Top score	163	175*
Overs bowled	4,623.2	1,867
Wickets	434	253
Bowling average	29.64	27.45
5 wickets in innings	23	1
10 wickets in match	2	N/A
Best bowling	9-83	5-43
Catches/stumpings	64/0	71/0
As of 4 July 2005 Source: Cricinfo.com

Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj (pronunciation (help·info)) (born 6 January 1959, Chandigarh), better known as Kapil Dev, is an Indian former cricketer who was regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders to have played the game, and was named by Wisden as the Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002 ^[1]. His most famous achievements were captaining India to their first and only World Cup title in 1983, and holding the record for the most Test match wickets, between 1994 and 1999.

Contents 1 Profile 2 Early charisma 3 Difficult captaincy 4 Records in Test cricket 5 Always an entertainer 6 In retirement 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Profile

Kapil Dev was a right-arm pace bowler noted for his graceful action and potent outswinger, and was India's main strike bowler throughout most of his career. He also developed a fine inswinging yorker during the 1980s which he used very effectively against tailenders.

As a batsman he was a natural striker of the ball who could hook and drive effectively. A naturally aggressive player, he often helped India in difficult situations by taking the attack to the opposition.

His nickname was The Haryana Hurricane - he used to represent the Haryana cricket team, although he is himself a Punjabi.

[edit] Early charisma

Kapil made his international cricket debut against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1978-79 and became an instant success with the Indian masses when he hit two clean sixes on his way to his first half-century in the 3rd Test of that series. When Pakistan returned for a six-Test series in 1979-80, Kapil was the man of the series and the main factor behind the 2-0 win for India. More success followed in the next season in Australia, where he helped India defend a small second-innings score at Melbourne against a formidable Australian batting line-up. He was the man of the series against England, both in the home series of 1981-82 as well as the "away" series in 1982. Following India's disastrous tour of Pakistan in 1982-83, he was appointed the captain and within a few months of taking over the captaincy from Sunil Gavaskar, he led India to the World Cup win of 1983. His best bowling analysis of 9/83 came the same year against West Indies at Ahmedabad.

[edit] Difficult captaincy

Kapil lost the captaincy in early 1984 to Gavaskar. He regained it in March 1985 and guided India on a Test series win over England on their tour in 1986. This period saw one of the most famous matches played during his reign, the second Tied Test in which he was named joint-man of the match with Dean Jones. In the 1987 Cricket World Cup he faced the blame for India's loss to England in the semi-final, as he holed out to deep mid-wicket triggering a collapse that led to the unexpected loss. He did not captain India again.

The captaincy period was on the whole a difficult one for him as it was mired with reports of differences with Gavaskar, as well as his own inconsistent form as a bowler. However, both men have since insisted that these reports were exaggarated ^[2].

[edit] Records in Test cricket

By the end of 1983, Kapil already had about 250 Test wickets in just five years and looked well on his way to becoming one of the most prolific wicket-takers ever. However, following knee surgery in 1984, his bowling declined as he lost some of his majestic jump at the crease. He continued to be effective, if not devastating, for another ten years and became the second bowler ever to take 400 wickets in Test cricket in 1991-92. In early 1994, he became the highest Test wicket-taker in the world, breaking the record held by Sir Richard Hadlee. Kapil's record was broken by Courtney Walsh in 1999.

Kapil is the only player to have achieved the all-rounder's double of 4,000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets.

[edit] Always an entertainer

Career record	First-class	List A
Matches	275	309
Runs scored	11,356	5,461
Batting average	42.91	24.50
100s/50s	18/56	2/23
Top score	193	175*
Balls bowled	48,853	14,947
Wickets	835	335
Bowling average	27.09	27.34
5 wickets in innings	39	2
10 wickets in match	3	N/A
Best Bowling	9/83	5/43
Catches/Stumpings	192	99
As of 13 January 2006 Source: [1] Edit this template

At his best, Kapil was one of the world's most destructive batsmen. During the series against Pakistan in 1982-83, he demolished Abdul Qadir's leg spin, which the English and Australian batsmen had great difficulty in reading earlier in the same year. Each time he read one of Abdul Qadir's googlies, he would shout "googles" before striking the ball^{[citation needed]}. It brought one of the few bright moments for the Indian team during that tour.

He was also fearless in taking apart the world's best fast-bowlers. During a World Cup match against the West Indies in 1983, he drove Michael Holding straight over his head for a six, a shot that would have been considered unimaginable by most against a bowler of Holding's pace.

In a match on route to the World Cup final of 1983, he smashed a captain's knock of 175 against Zimbabwe helping India recover from a tenuous 17/5. Surprisingly, this was his only ODI hundred. Incidentally, this was also the first century by an Indian in an ODI.

Another memorable incident relates to a Test match against England in 1990. When India needed 24 runs to save the follow-on, Kapil met that target by hitting four consecutive sixes off Eddie Hemmings. This proved to be the right decision, as in the next over itself, the number 11 batsman Narendra Hirwani was dismissed with no further addition to the score.

A further example of his competitive spirit was during a match against West Indies at Sharjah in November 1986, when he tried to cajole Viv Richards into bowling the last over of the match with India needing 36 runs to win. Unsurprisingly, Richards did not give in to his request.^{[citation needed]}

Kapil's talent as a batsman, as well as his competitive spirit was evident till as late as 1992, when hooked and pulled Allan Donald on his way to a brilliant century when all the frontline Indian batsmen were struggling against Donald's pace.

[edit] In retirement

Kapil retired from playing cricket in 1994. After spending a few years away from cricket, he was appointed coach of the Indian national cricket team in 1999 suceeding Anshuman Gaekwad ^[3]. However, his tenure was not a success and he resigned from the post in 2000 ^[4].

Since retirement, Kapil has also taken up the sport of golf ^[5]. His autobiography, titled Straight to the Heart, was published in 2004 (ISBN 1403-92227-6) ^[6].

[edit] References

1. ^ "This is my finest hour: Kapil Dev", The Sportstar Vol. 25 No. 31, 2002-03-08. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
2. ^ "Caught!: Duel in the sun", The Times of India, 2002-09-08. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
3. ^ "Kapil Dev is named coach ahead of Srikkanth", Cricinfo.com, 1999-09-22. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
4. ^ "A cricketing great who deserved a better end", Cricinfo.com, 2000-09-13. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
5. ^ "Kapil Dev leads India to title", The Hindu, 2004-09-05. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
6. ^ "Kapil Dev's autobiography released", The Hindu, 2004-01-06. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.

[edit] External links

• Player Profile: Kapil Dev from Cricinfo

Preceded by Sunil Gavaskar	Indian Test cricket captain 1982/83 - 1983/84	Succeeded by Sunil Gavaskar
Preceded by Sunil Gavaskar	Indian national cricket captain 1984/85 - 1986-87	Succeeded by Dilip Vengsarkar

Bowlers who have taken 400 Test wickets
Shane Warne (AUS) | Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | | Glenn McGrath (AUS) | Anil Kumble (IND) | Courtney Walsh (WI) Kapil Dev (IND) | Richard Hadlee (NZ) | Wasim Akram (PAK) | Curtly Ambrose (WI)

Cricketers who have achieved the 'All-rounder's Triple' (3000 runs/300 wickets) in Test matches

Ian Botham 72 Tests | Richard Hadlee 83 Tests | Imran Khan 75 Tests | Kapil Dev 83 Tests | Shaun Pollock 87 Tests | Shane Warne 142 Tests

Cricketers who have achieved the 'All-rounder's Double' (2000 runs/200 wickets) in Test matches

Wasim Akram 78 Tests | Richie Benaud 60 Tests | Ian Botham 42 Tests | Chris Cairns 58 Tests | Sir Richard Hadlee 54 Tests Jacques Kallis 102 Tests | Kapil Dev 50 Tests | Imran Khan 50 Tests | Anil Kumble 110 Tests | Shaun Pollock 56 Tests Sir Garfield Sobers 80 Tests | Chaminda Vaas 82 Tests | Daniel Vettori 69 Tests | Shane Warne 100 Tests