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Spirit never retires

Cricket With the match-fixing row now history, Kapil Dev is having a swinging time with golf

KAPIL DEV Paaji Nikhanj, the cricketer, needs no introduction. But one got to see Kapil, the man, recently when he turned up to promote a celebrity golf tournament.

It's hard to not talk cricket with someone with a World Cup and the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century (20th) Award under his belt. But now there is one that can be removed from the list thanks to Anil Kumble.

All those records

"I wasn't the highest wicket-taker 10 years ago. To become the highest wicket-taker, I broke someone's record and now someone has broken mine," he shrugs, flashing the same old rabbit-toothed smile. "Now I hope someone breaks Anil's record. This is because we all set targets for ourselves, otherwise the human race would cease to be competitive. If the next generation is not good enough to break the record, then I will be sad. The next generation must better us."

With over a decade having passed since retirement, Kapil has taken to golf seriously. He has been putting his well-known ability to swing the cricket bat to good use with a golf club at both competitive and promotional golf tournaments. "The swing is quite all right. Come to the tournament and I will show you," he challenges, in the same competitive spirit that has won him millions of loyal fans.

Golf apart, Paaji is still most comfortable talking about cricket or even better, fast bowling. The very mention of the pace competition in the Indian team brings a big smile to his face. Because after all he comes from a time when the norm was four spinners and even the new ball used to be rubbed into the ground to make it easy for the spinners.

"It's the happiest time in the life of a fast bowler. All our life we complained we don't have a fast bowler, and I feel very proud seeing three fast bowlers running in to bowl. And not only bowl but also win a Test match for us."

One fast bowler or three, nothing can take away the achievements of the guru of pace revolution in India. How can one forget his spell in the 1981 Test against Australia in Melbourne where he bowled an unplayable spell while nursing a hamstring injury? That cost five Australian wickets and won India the match. His achievements are even more staggering when one takes into account the swing he generated and wickets he took on placid Indian tracks. How did he manage to push himself to bowl on such pitches?

"Nobody pushed me to cricket, so where was the need to psyche myself? My love for the game was enough to motivate me," he says nonchalantly.

Of course, bringing the World Cup home is his greatest feat but the Indian team would have got nowhere near Lords if not for his 175 against Zimbabwe when India was tottering at 17 for 5. And as luck would have it, the greatest innings of his career was not caught on videotape because of a BBC strike.

"I think when you play a sport for 15 years and play for the country, there are so many beautiful moments that happen. And that's why we play. Sometimes you lose a match that you are winning; but that is sport, you have the highs and the lows. The road is bumpy; you have to take it in your stride. But playing for the country is the most beautiful thing." Anyone who saw him carry the Indian flag around Lords after the 1983 World Cup Final would testify to that. But the present Indian team isn't even allowed to stick the flag on the helmet.

"Patriotism doesn't come with the flag. It comes from within. It's sad you can't have the flag on you, but you have to respect the law of the land. As person I feel proud to carry the flag whenever I can," he says.

But patriotism isn't enough to keep someone in the limelight out of controversy. Kapil has had his fair share of it, right from the time when he was dropped for the 1985 Kolkata Test against England to the match-fixing allegations. Still he manages to put up a smile in front of the cameras.

Controversies

"It all depends on the media whether it is controversy or not. Don't ask me any question that will lead to a controversy. There will always be controversies as the media lives on that," he argues. "I am not bothered by the media attention. People will write good and bad things, but I have to take it in my stride. It is wrong to feel that everyone must write only good things."

Sure thing.

ANAND SANKAR

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