CANNOT EXPECT ONE PLAYER TO WIN YOU THE WORLD CUP

INTERVIEW with KAPIL DEV WORLD CUP-WINNING CAPTAIN

- NEERU BHATIA

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?