CRICKET DONS OF INDIA

Kapil Dev(International career)

Early Years (1978 - 1982)

Kapil Dev made his Test cricket debut in Faisalabad, Pakistan on 16 October 1978 and though his match figures were unimpressive, the numbers did not convey any measure of Kapil's contribution in the match. With his speed and bounce, he bought glee to the Indian players when Pakistani batsmen were startled with bouncers that clanged the helmet on more than one occasion.^[5] Kapil Dev also captured his maiden wicket of Sadiq Mohammad with his trademark outswinger.^[6] Kapil Dev showcased his all-rounder talent when he scored India's fastest Test half-century off 33 balls and 2 sixes in each of the innings during the 3^rd Test match at National Stadium, Karachi^[7], though India lost the match and the series 2-0. In the ensuring series against a visiting West Indies team, he scored his maiden Test century (126) at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi in just 124 balls^[8] and had a steady bowling performance (17 wickets at 33.00). Ominous signs of Kapil Dev's liking for England showed up in the ensuring series, Kapil's first outside the sub-continent. Kapil Dev picked up his first 5-wicket haul and all of England's wickets, though it came at a huge cost (48 overs and 146 runs conceded) as England scored a mammoth 633 and won the match comfortably^[9]. Kapil Dev finished the series with 16 wickets though his batting haul of 45 runs (Average: 7.5) was unimpressive. Kapil Dev's debut in ODI Cricket happened in the earlier tour of Pakistan where his individual performance was ordinary and it stayed the same as both Kapil Dev and India had a poor campaign at the 1979 Cricket World Cup.

Kapil Dev established himself as India's premier fast bowler when he took two 5-wicket hauls and ended the home series against Australia with 28 wickets (Average: 22.32) and also 212 runs that included a half-century.^[10] Kapil Dev gained fame in the 6-Test home series against Pakistan in the 1979-80 season when he led India to 2 victories against the visitors - once with the bat (69) at Wankhede Stadium, Bombay (Now Mumbai)^[11] and the second time with bat and ball (10-wicket haul in match - 4/90 in the first innings and 7/56 in the second innings, 84 in 98 balls with his bat) at Chepauk, Madras (Now Chennai).^[12] Kapil Dev rates his all-round performance in this match as his best bowling effort in his career and his second innings figure of 7/56 was his best to-date.^[5] During the series, he also became the youngest Test player to achieve the all-round double of 100 Wickets and 1000 Runs and in 25 matches (although Ian Botham took just 21 matches to achieve the same feat) and finished the series with 32 wickets (Ave: 17.68) and 278 runs that included 2 fifties.^[13]

India's tour of Australia in 1980-81 had the looks of the familiar Indian series as India were 1-0 down and were defending a meager 143 runs and Kapil Dev virtually ruled out with a groin injury. When Australia finished the fourth day at 18/3, Kapil willed himself to play the final day with pain-killing injections and removed the dangerous Australia middle order. Kapil won the match for India with the innings bowling performance of 16.4-4-28-5, a bowling performance that figures in his five best bowling performance^[5]. During the Australian tour, he scored his first fifty in ODIs against New Zealand at Brisbane. Somehow India's Test cricket sensation was unable to adjust to ODI cricket and had a career start of 278 runs (Average: 17.38) and 17 wickets after 16 ODI matches.

A dismal New Zealand tour later,^[14] Kapil Dev was ready for the 1981-82 home series against England where his five-wicket haul won the first test at Wankhede Stadium, Bombay (Now Mumbai). Kapil Dev scored 318 runs (Average: 53, 1 century, 1 fifty) and took 22 wickets (2 5-wicket hauls) and walked away with the Man of the Series honours.^[15] England saw more of Kapil in the ensuing series at home against the Indian cricket team in the 1982 season when Kapil opened with a 5-wicket haul and 130 runs in a losing cause at Lord's.^[16] Kapil Dev finished the 3-match series with 292 runs (Ave: 73, 3 fifties) and 10 Wickets and bagged the Man of the Series again.^[17]

Facing Sri Lanka for the first time, Kapil Dev helped himself to a five-wicket haul to kick start the 1982-83 season. In the following tour to Pakistan, Kapil Dev along with Mohinder Amarnath were the only bright spots in a series dominated by rival all-rounder Imran Khan (40 wickets and 1 century).^[18] Kapil Dev took a 5/102 haul in the second Test at National Stadium, Karachi, 7/220 in the third Test at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad and 8/85 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore while he received little support from other team members. After this disastrous tour, Kapil Dev was made the captain of the Indian cricket team in place of Sunil Gavaskar.