I had written this down on my FB A/C. And wrote it after returning from office. So there could be a few errors.
Yesterday, in 1978, Kapil Dev made his Test debut against Pakistan in Faisalabad.
A few lesser-known facts I remembered. Just sharing it here.
On January 4, 1991, he bagged a hat-trick against SL at the Eden Gardens. What is so great about it?
Initially, that hat-trick largely went unnoticed! He picked up Mahanama's scalp off the final ball of one of his overs. During the next over, Ranatunga was run-out. Kapil, who was bowling from the other end, then dislodged a young Sanath Jayasuriya and Rumesh Ratnayake via his first two deliveries in his very next over.
However, it had slipped out of Indian players' mind that Roshan M was dismissed off the final ball of Kapil's previous over. Instead, they waited with bated breath for Kapil to pick up Ramanayake's [the next man] scalp. Ramanayake survived and Indian players were disappointed!
It was only when the electronic scorecard displayed the achievement, the crowd roared in delight and everyone got to know about Kapil's feat.
It is a known fact that barring a few good pacers, India weren't known for producing fast bowlers those days. And then came the "Haryana Hurricane".
In his debut Test against PAK, when Majid Khan and Sadiq Mohammad walked out to bat, they would have envisaged facing trundlers taking the shine off the ball. But it was the broad-shouldered Kapil who was waiting to unleash a few bumpers.
He wasn't a genuine quick but bowled with waspish pace during his younger days. In his second over, he bowled a nasty bumper at Sadiq, who was rattled and requested for a helmet!
A Pakistan batsman wearing a helmet to face an Indian pacer? History was made. He bowled one more bumper and this time it was on target and smashed into Sadiq's helmet.
In his first Test, when Kapil walked out to bat he asked the umpire: Please, can I have a leg-stump guard?
Pakistani cricketers burst out laughing and sledged him.
Initially, Desh Prem Azad, Kapil's coach, during his formative years, had ignored his credentials. However, Kapil’s father convinced the coach to take him under his wing. Kapil then combined the virtues of hard work and discipline into a winning combination. His school would get over at about 1.30pm. he would return home in around 20 minutes by riding his cycle. He then would take his lunch, run to the ground in the afternoon and worked on his bowling at the nets for hours together.
When Kapil toured Australia in 1980-81, he had a rather interesting conversation with the customs officer in Sydney.
The customs officer asked: Any curry in your bag?
Kapil replied: No.
Customs officer then asked: Do you have any articles of wood?
Kapil replied: No, Sir. I only use aluminium bats!
Kapil was known as an extrovert. But, how did he propose to his wife, Romi? Well, he was nervous.
Once he was travelling in a train with her I believe and the train was passing through a picturesque place. He somehow gathered enough belief to ask her: Do you want to take a picture of this place so that we can show our children?
Romi was taken aback. She thought for a while and then understood what Kapil really meant and was gracious enough to oblige Kapil's request.
Everyone remembers Kapil's cameo appearances in films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Stumped, Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii, Iqbal and Yeh Dillagi. But did you know, he also acted in a film called Jawab with Raj Babbar? Smita Patel also acted in the film I believe. This film released around 1985 or 1986.
Hmm, the story is quite interesting. Babbar is a journalist and in one of the scenes, he is trying to escape from the clutches of Danny Denzongpa.
What happens next? He finds himself in a cricket stadium where India is playing a Test match with Kapil around. Kapil sir saves the man - if I remember correctly.
Kapil Dev and his story about Keki Tarapore? I think everyone knows it.
The great man was never run out in his Test career.
Enough for the day
Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 11:43 pm