The Hindu : Sport : Take a break, says Kapil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Sport

Sport - Sports : General

Take a break, says Kapil

Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Kapil Dev is clear on the raging issue of player-burnout, as far as Indian cricketers are concerned. He feels those players who talk about being pushed into too much cricket should take a break.

The all-rounder, one of the fittest cricketers of his generation was speaking after unveiling medals in connection with the two-day Rajiv Gandhi Mini Olympics, organised for Mumbai sports enthusiasts.

The former Indian captain, stressing on professionalism and cricket, said: "Cricketers are professionals. Indian cricketers are the only 100 per cent professional sportspersons in our country. Don't want to play, then don't play," said Kapil, at the MIG Club on Tuesday. Hockey stalwart Dhanraj Pillay and former Indian footballer Godfrey Pereira were also present on the occasion. Olympic shooter Anjali Bhagwat will inaugurate the event on Wednesday.

Hue and cry

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has also publicly called for cricketers feeling the strain of excessive cricket to take a break, emphasising that the finalised commitments with other Boards have to be fulfilled.

There is already an outcry over ICC's fixtures, with prominent players like Ricky Ponting and Virender Sehwag going public with their assertion that players' career span will be affected due to busy calendar.

Kapil was upbeat about the prospects of the Indian team, led by Rahul Dravid, now touring the West Indies. "The Indian team is well balanced. I expect them to not only win the series against West Indies, but to win convincingly too," said the 1983 World Cup winning captain, focussing on the importance of an overseas victory for the game back home.

Pillay and Pereira, dwelling on the importance of events like the Mini Olympics, said such multi-sports events would attract the public to sport.

Both expressed support for such ventures, saying that in their case, exposure to hockey and football respectively began at such basic level.

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