CANNOT EXPECT ONE PLAYER TO WIN YOU THE WORLD CUP
THE WEEK India|October 22, 2023
INTERVIEW with KAPIL DEV WORLD CUP-WINNING CAPTAIN
NEERU BHATIA
CANNOT EXPECT ONE PLAYER TO WIN YOU THE WORLD CUP

A ponytailed Kapil Dev sits in his office, a knowing twinkle in his eye. He has done this a number of times. Before every World Cup, it seems mandatory to talk to Kapil about that 1983 victory. In this interaction with THE WEEK, though, the World Cup-winning captain talks more about the ongoing tournament and the expectations of the Indian team. Edited excerpts:

Q/ Your thoughts on a home World Cup, especially after the pandemic?

A/ With the World Cup happening in our country, there is too much pressure on everybody, even in terms of getting tickets and giving passes.

Q/ What do you think of the World Cup format? Will it be exciting? Do you expect the tournament to be full of runs because of some flat pitches?

A/ Fifty overs will be fifty overs. You cannot say that people do not enjoy it. [There are people] enjoying the 100-ball format in England. When 50-overs cricket started in England, they called it pyjama cricket. When T20 cricket came in, it was called brainless cricket; now people love it.

Q/ What aspect of the game do you think would be important in this tournament?

A/ Middle overs. We have seen enough in the beginning and the end, but the middle overs will be very crucial. Whichever team plays the middle overs better will win.

Q/Spinners like Kuldeep Yadav have been brought in to control those middle overs and get wickets. They will be under a lot of pressure. 

A/ Your team combination is important. The spinners have to play an important role, to not only control the runs, but also take wickets.

Q/But with the pitches full of runs, more so in the subcontinent, how difficult is the role of a spinner?

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 22, 2023 من THE WEEK India.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 22, 2023 من THE WEEK India.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

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