Kapil's Devastation
Mohandas Menon
A legend in cricket does not necessarily mean one who has outscored the rest with respect to figures and statistics. The character, style, temperament and a simple approach to the game can make figures look secondary.
Cricket has changed and evolved so much over the years that comparing players and their figues does not really give a clear picture of the magnitude of their achievements. A player is called a legend when he dominates an era and shapes the course of the game, in that he appeals to a wider audience and, more importantly, the masses.
Kapil Dev was not even 17 when he played his first Ranji Trophy game for Haryana, against Punjab. Within two years (1977-78) he was called up for selection for the tour of Australia. Unsure of how an 18-year-old would perform in Australia, the selectors decided to go for experience rather than raw talent. Thus, his journey began in Pakistan on that historic tour in 1978, and ended 16 glorious years later on the other side of the hemisphere in far way New Zealand.
Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj
Known as: Kapil Dev
Born: 6th January 1959, Chandigarh
Batting style : right hand bat
Bowling style : right arm fast medium (medium fast)
Counties played: Northamptonshire (1981-83 in 16 matches),
Worcestershire (1984-85 in 24 matches)
Honors bestowed: Wisden 5 cricketers of the year (1983),
Arjuna Award (1975),
Padma Sri (1982),
Padma Bhushan (1991)
TEST CRICKET
First Test: 1st Test 1978-79 v Pakistan at Faisalabad
Last Test : 1st Test 1993-94 v New Zealand at Hamilton
TEST CAREER BATTING |
M |
I |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
100 |
50 |
0 |
Ct |
St |
131 |
184 |
15 |
5248 |
163 |
31.05 |
8 |
27 |
16 |
64 |
0 |
TEST CAREER BOWLING |
Balls |
Md |
R |
W |
Ave |
Best |
5 |
10 |
SR |
ER |
27740 |
1060 |
12867 |
434 |
29.65 |
9/83 |
23 |
2 |
63.92 |
46.38 |
Best Batting performance in Tests: 163 vs Sri Lanka at Kanpur (1986-87)
Was the captain of the side in the above match, which also featured Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri and Mohammad Azharuddin. Batting first, Sri Lanka piled up 420 and the strong Indian reply was studded with three scores of 150-plus; Gavaskar 176, Azharuddin 199 and Kapil Dev 163. The match eventually ended in a draw. Kapil Dev also took 2-81 in the Sri Lankan first innings. This was the only score of 150-plus Kapil Dev had in Test matches.
Best Bowling performance in Tests: 9-83 vs West Indies at Ahmedabad (1983-84)
Nine scalps of the West Indian batting line-up that included Gordon Greednidge, Vivian Richards, Larry Gomes, Clive Llyod, Gus Logie, and Geoffry Dujon apart from the bowlers. Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Kapil opening bowling partner, claimed the first wicket to fall in that particular innings, that of Desmond Haynes, and Kapil just kept working away at the rest. This was the only nine-wicket haul of his career although he took eight wickets in an innings on two occasions.
CAPTAINCY RECORD |
|
P |
W |
L |
D |
T |
% Wins |
Australia |
6 |
- |
- |
5 |
1 |
- |
England |
3 |
2 |
- |
1 |
- |
66.67 |
Pakistan |
8 |
- |
1 |
7 |
- |
- |
Sri Lanka |
6 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
- |
33.33 |
West Indies |
11 |
- |
5 |
6 |
- |
- |
* Did not captain against New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe
SERIES BY SERIES PERFORMANCE (All round) |
|
Series |
M |
I |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
Ct |
St |
R |
W |
Best |
B Ave |
Pakistan* |
1978-79 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
159 |
59 |
31.80 |
- |
- |
426 |
7 |
3/132 |
60.86 |
West Indies |
1978-79 |
6 |
7 |
2 |
329 |
126* |
65.80 |
3 |
- |
561 |
17 |
4/38 |
33.00 |
England* |
1979 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
45 |
21 |
7.50 |
1 |
- |
495 |
16 |
5/146 |
30.94 |
Australia |
1979-80 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
212 |
83 |
35.33 |
3 |
- |
625 |
28 |
5/74 |
22.32 |
Pakistan |
1979-80 |
6 |
9 |
0 |
278 |
84 |
30.89 |
3 |
- |
566 |
32 |
7/56 |
17.69 |
England |
1979-80 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
45 |
45* |
45.00 |
- |
- |
85 |
3 |
3/64 |
28.33 |
Australia* |
1980-81 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
55 |
22 |
9.17 |
2 |
- |
333 |
14 |
5/28 |
23.79 |
New Zealand* |
1980-81 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
27 |
14 |
5.40 |
- |
- |
255 |
8 |
4/34 |
31.88 |
England |
1981-82 |
6 |
8 |
2 |
318 |
116 |
53.00 |
3 |
- |
835 |
22 |
6/91 |
37.95 |
England* |
1982 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
292 |
97 |
73.00 |
- |
- |
439 |
10 |
5/125 |
43.90 |
Sri Lanka |
1982-83 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
61 |
31 |
30.50 |
- |
- |
207 |
8 |
5/110 |
25.88 |
Pakistan* |
1982-83 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
178 |
73 |
22.25 |
- |
- |
831 |
24 |
8/85 |
34.63 |
West Indies* |
1982-83 |
5 |
8 |
2 |
254 |
100* |
42.33 |
4 |
- |
424 |
17 |
4/45 |
24.94 |
Pakistan |
1983-84 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
46 |
32 |
11.50 |
1 |
- |
225 |
12 |
5/68 |
18.75 |
West Indies |
1983-84 |
6 |
11 |
0 |
184 |
69 |
16.73 |
4 |
- |
537 |
29 |
9/83 |
18.52 |
Pakistan* |
1984-85 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
52 |
33* |
26.00 |
- |
- |
126 |
1 |
1/104 |
126.00 |
England |
1984-85 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
253 |
60 |
42.17 |
2 |
- |
436 |
10 |
4/81 |
43.60 |
Sri Lanka* |
1985-86 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
128 |
78 |
21.33 |
1 |
- |
372 |
11 |
3/74 |
33.82 |
Australia* |
1985-86 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
135 |
55 |
45.00 |
5 |
- |
276 |
12 |
8/106 |
23.00 |
England* |
1986 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
81 |
31 |
20.25 |
2 |
- |
306 |
10 |
4/52 |
30.60 |
Australia |
1986-87 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
120 |
119 |
60.00 |
2 |
- |
124 |
0 |
0/5 |
- |
Sri Lanka |
1986-87 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
234 |
163 |
117.00 |
2 |
- |
231 |
9 |
4/69 |
25.67 |
Pakistan |
1986-87 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
182 |
66 |
36.40 |
5 |
- |
430 |
11 |
3/46 |
39.09 |
West Indies |
1987-88 |
4 |
7 |
0 |
221 |
109 |
31.57 |
5 |
- |
309 |
8 |
3/41 |
38.63 |
New Zealand |
1988-89 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
107 |
40 |
26.75 |
4 |
- |
232 |
10 |
3/21 |
23.20 |
West Indies*
| 1988-89
| 4
| 6
| 0
| 91
| 34
| 15.17
| 1
| -
| 385
| 18
| 6/84
| 21.39
|
Pakistan*
| 1989-90
| 4
| 6
| 0
| 159
| 55
| 26.50
| -
| - 0
| 378
| 12
| 4/69
| 31.5
|
New Zealand*
| 1989-90
| 3
| 4
| 0
| 55
| 25
| 13.75
| 1
| -
| 305
| 5
| 3/89
| 61.00
|
England*
| 1990
| 3
| 5
| 1
| 220
| 110
| 55.00
| -
| -
| 445
| 7
| 2/66
| 63.57
|
Sri Lanka |
1990-91 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
4.00 |
- |
- |
50 |
5 |
4/36 |
10.00
|
Australia*
| 1991-92
| 5
| 9
| 0
| 165
| 56
| 18.33
| 4
| -
| 645
| 25
| 5/97
| 25.80
|
Zimbabwe* |
1992-93 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
60 |
60 |
60.00 |
- |
- |
93 |
3 |
2/22 |
31.00 |
South Africa*
| 1992-93
| 4
| 5
| 0
| 202
| 129
| 40.40
| 1
| -
| 299
| 8
| 3/43
| 37.38
|
England |
1992-93 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
101 |
66* |
50.50 |
3 |
- |
133 |
7 |
3/35 |
19.00 |
Zimbabwe
| 1992-93
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 16
| 16
| 16.00
| -
| -
| 41
| 1
| 1/37
| 41.00
|
Sri Lanka* |
1993-94 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
62 |
35 |
31.00 |
1 |
- |
159 |
5 |
2/34 |
31.80 |
Sri Lanka
| 1993-94
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 99
| 53*
| 49.50
| -
| -
| 176
| 7
| 3/73
| 25.14
|
New Zealand* |
1993-94 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
18 |
18 |
18.00 |
1 |
- |
72 |
2 |
1/29 |
36.00 |
* Indicates away series
SUMMARY |
|
M |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
Ct |
St |
Balls |
Runs |
W |
B Ave |
Best |
Australia
| 20
| 687
| 119
| 26.42
| 16
| -
| 4746
| 2003
| 79
| 25.35
| 8/106
|
England
| 27
| 1355
| 116
| 41.06
| 11
| -
| 6343
| 3174
| 85
| 37.34
| 6/91
|
New Zealand
| 10
| 207
| 40
| 14.79
| 6
| -
| 1937
| 864
| 25
| 34.56
| 4/34
|
Pakistan
| 29
| 1054
| 84
| 27.03
| 9
| -
| 5944
| 2982
| 99
| 30.12
| 8/85
|
South Africa
| 4
| 202
| 129
| 40.40
| 1
| -
| 990
| 299
| 8
| 37.38
| 3/43
|
Sri Lanka
| 14
| 588
| 163
| 39.20
| 4
| -
| 2715
| 1195
| 45
| 26.56
| 5/110
|
West Indies
| 25
| 1079
| 126*
| 30.83
| 17
| -
| 4639
| 2216
| 89
| 24.90
| 9/83
|
Zimbabwe
| 2
| 76
| 60
| 38.00
| -
| -
| 426
| 134
| 4
| 33.50
| 2/22
|
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS
First ODI: vs Pakistan at Quetta (1-10-1978)
Last ODI: vs West Indies at Faridabad (17-10-1994
ODI CAREER BATTING |
M |
I |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
100 |
50 |
0 |
Ct |
St |
225 |
198 |
39 |
3782 |
175* |
23.79 |
1 |
14 |
13 |
71 |
0 |
ODI CAREER BOWLING |
Balls |
Md |
R |
W |
Ave |
Best |
5 |
4 |
SR |
ER |
11202 |
235 |
6945 |
253 |
27.45 |
5/43 |
1 |
3 |
44.28 |
3.72 |
Best Batting performance in ODI: 175* vs Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells (18-6-1983)
Probably the best innings ever to be played in a one-day match by an Indian. India won the toss and elected to bat. Kapil Dev came into bat with his side reeling at 17 for 5. The top five batsmen that included Gavaskar, Srikkanth, Mohinder Amarnath, Sandeep Patil all feel for scores less than 10. Kapil's 175 not out (138 balls) was at that point of time the highest individual score made in the one-day match. The second highest scorer of the Indian innings was Syed Kirmani, who made 24 not out. Sadly there is not a single clipping or television footage available of this amazing innings as the BBC were apparently on strike that day and did not covering the match. The innings that changed India's fortunes in the 1983 World Cup tournament. It is the only hundred that he scored in one-dayers.
Best Bowling performance in ODI's: 5-43 vs Australia at Trent Bridge (13-6-1983)
The 1983 World Cup was indeed a special one for Kapil as his best bowling performance in one-dayers also came during this tournament. Kapil took 5 for 43, with Australia piling up a formidable 320 for 9 in 60 overs. With all the rest of the bowlers going for over 50 runs, Kapil showed yet again he had the invaluable ability to contain as well as take wickets at the same time. This was the only five-wicket haul of his one-day career.
CAPTAINCY RECORD |
|
P |
W |
L |
D |
T |
% Wins |
Australia |
19 |
9 |
9 |
1 |
- |
47.36 |
England |
5 |
3 |
2 |
- |
- |
60.00 |
New Zealand |
8 |
6 |
2 |
- |
- |
75.00 |
Pakistan |
13 |
4 |
9 |
- |
- |
30.76 |
Sri Lanka |
13 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
- |
76.92 |
West Indies |
12 |
3 |
9 |
- |
- |
25.00 |
Zimbabwe |
4 |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
100.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SERIES BY SERIES PERFORMANCE (All round) |
Series |
Competition |
M |
I |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
B |
R |
W |
Best |
B Ave |
1978-79
| Pakistan
| 3
| 2
| 1
| 18
| 13*
| 18.00
| 132
| 107
| 4
| 2/49
| 26.75
|
1979
| WC NZ,SL,WI
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 53
| 25
| 17.67
| 198
| 137
| 2
| 1/46
| 68.50
|
1980-81
| B&H WS Aus,NZ
| 10
| 10
| 0
| 157
| 75
| 15.70
| 543
| 300
| 11
| 3/37
| 27.27
|
1980-81
| New Zealand
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 51
| 50
| 25.50
| 120
| 74
| 3
| 2/34
| 24.67
|
1981-82
| Wlls S Eng
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 6
| 6
| 3.00
| 96
| 49
| 2
| 2/26
| 24.50
|
1982
| PT Eng
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 107
| 60
| 53.50
| 120
| 60
| 0
| 0/21
| -
|
1982-83
| Sri Lanka
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 65
| 49
| 32.50
| 168
| 91
| 5
| 2/41
| 18.20
|
1982-83
| WllS(2)Pak
| 4
| 4
| 0
| 78
| 35
| 19.50
| 168
| 168
| 3
| 1/42
| 56.00
|
1982-83
| West Indies
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 73
| 72
| 24.33
| 137
| 75
| 4
| 2/21
| 18.75
|
1983
| World Cup
| 8
| 8
| 3
| 303
| 175*
| 60.60
| 504
| 245
| 12
| 5/43
| 20.42
|
1983-84
| Pakistan
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 27
| 18
| 13.50
| 114
| 49
| 3
| 2/33
| 16.33
|
1983-84
| Charminar Ch WI
| 4
| 4
| 1
| 104
| 44*
| 34.67
| 193
| 135
| 6
| 3/44
| 22.50
|
1984-85
| Australia
| 5
| 5
| 2
| 101
| 39
| 33.67
| 174
| 146
| 4
| 1/14
| 36.50 |
1984-85
| Wlls S Pak
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0.00
| 48
| 36
| 3
| 3/36
| 12.00
|
1984-85
| England
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 79
| 54
| 26.33
| 138
| 97
| 4
| 3/38
| 24.25
|
1984-85
| B&H World Ch
| 5
| 2
| 1
| 83
| 54*
| 83.00
| 270
| 134
| 9
| 3/23
| 14.89
|
1984-85
| Rothmans Aus,Pak
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 31
| 30
| 15.50
| 77
| 26
| 4
| 3/17
| 6.50
|
1985-86
| Sri Lanka
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 42
| 24
| 21.00
| 114
| 93
| 3
| 2/20
| 31.00
|
1985-86
| Rothmans Pak,WI
| 2
| 2
| 1
| 28
| 28*
| 28.00
| 90
| 55
| 1
| 1/29
| 55.00
|
1985-86
| B&H WS Aus,NZ
| 12
| 11
| 2
| 202
| 54*
| 22.44
| 678
| 391
| 20
| 4/30
| 19.55
|
1985-86
| Aust'n NZ,Pak,SL
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 20
| 9
| 6.67
| 156
| 91
| 1
| 1/45
| 91.00
|
1986
| Texaco Eng
| 2
| 1
| 0
| 51
| 51
| 51.00
| 126
| 73
| 1
| 1/41
| 73.00
|
1986-87
| Charminar Ch Aus
| 6
| 5
| 1
| 141
| 58
| 35.25
| 276
| 177
| 5
| 2/17
| 35.40
|
1986-87
| Champions T Pak,SL,WI
| 3
| 3
| 2
| 93
| 36
| 93.00
| 156
| 92
| 3
| 2/28
| 30.67
|
1986-87
| Sri Lanka
| 5
| 4
| 2
| 34
| 16*
| 17.00
| 234
| 173
| 6
| 2/10
| 28.83
|
1986-87
| Charminar Ch Pak
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 77
| 59
| 19.25
| 275
| 228
| 8
| 2/32
| 28.50
|
1986-87
| Sharj Aus,Eng,Pak
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 85
| 64
| 28.33
| 144
| 93
| 3
| 2/36
| 31.00
|
1987-88
| World Cup
| 7
| 5
| 2
| 152
| 72*
| 50.67
| 372
| 259
| 5
| 2/38
| 51.80
|
1987-88
| Charminar Ch WI
| 7
| 7
| 1
| 230
| 87
| 38.33
| 282
| 203
| 6
| 2/20
| 33.83
|
1987-88
| West Indies
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 21
| 21
| 21.00
| 51
| 21
| 2
| 2/21
| 10.50
|
1987-88
| Sharj NZ,SL
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 102
| 49*
| 51.00
| 161
| 70
| 3
| 1/14
| 23.33
|
1988-89
| Champions T Pak,WI
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 6
| 3
| 2.00
| 133
| 69
| 3
| 2/31
| 23.00
|
1988-89
| Asia C Pak,SL,ROW
| 4
| 3
| 1
| 21
| 12*
| 10.50
| 170
| 99
| 6
| 2/16
| 16.50
|
1988-89
| New Zealand
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 60
| 27*
| 30.00
| 138
| 63
| 3
| 2/16
| 21.00
|
1988-89
| Cable & W WI
| 5
| 5
| 0
| 106
| 44
| 21.20
| 234
| 134
| 3
| 2/30
| 44.67
|
1989-90
| Champions T Pak,WI
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 70
| 41
| 23.33
| 142
| 82
| 2
| 2/19
| 41.00
|
1989-90
| Nehru Cup
| 6
| 6
| 1
| 62
| 19
| 12.40
| 328
| 245
| 11
| 3/26
| 22.27
|
1989-90
| Pakistan
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| dnb
| -
| 42
| 14
| 0
| 0/14
| -
|
1989-90
| Rothmans Aus,NZ
| 4
| 4
| 1
| 133
| 48*
| 44.33
| 221
| 160
| 6
| 2/29
| 26.67
|
1989-90
| Aust'n Pak,SL
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 9
| 8
| 4.50
| 86
| 74
| 1
| 1/44
| 74.00
|
1990
| TT(2) Eng
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 5
| 5*
| -
| 132
| 89
| 4
| 2/40
| 22.25
|
1990-91
| Sri Lanka
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 13
| 7
| 6.50
| 126
| 77
| 3
| 2/46
| 25.67
|
1990-91
| Asia C SL,ROW
| 3
| 1
| 0
| 32
| 32
| 32.00
| 158
| 96
| 9
| 4/31
| 10.67
|
1991-92
| Wills T Pak,WI
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 25
| 10*
| 8.33
| 270
| 170
| 7
| 3/36
| 24.29
|
1991-92
| South Africa
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 17
| 11
| 8.50
| 156
| 87
| 4
| 2/23
| 21.75
|
1991-92
| B&H WS Aus,WI
| 10
| 10
| 4
| 151
| 39
| 25.17
| 528
| 275
| 9
| 4/54
| 30.56
|
1991-92
| World Cup
| 8
| 8
| 1
| 161
| 42
| 23.00
| 348
| 251
| 9
| 3/41
| 27.89
|
1992-93
| Zimbabwe
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 5
| 5
| 5.00
| 49
| 27
| 1
| 1/27
| 27.00
|
1992-93
| South Africa
| 7
| 6
| 0
| 94
| 30
| 15.67
| 372
| 189
| 5
| 3/23
| 37.80
|
1992-93
| England
| 6
| 5
| 2
| 56
| 32
| 18.67
| 306
| 200
| 6
| 2/36
| 33.33
|
1992-93
| return Zim
| 2
| 0
| 0
| 0
| dnb
| -
| 96
| 75
| 3
| 3/54
| 25.00
|
1993-94
| Sri Lanka
| 3
| 3
| 0
| 31
| 27
| 10.33
| 162
| 87
| 2
| 1/29
| 43.50
|
1993-94
| Hero Cup
| 6
| 4
| 0
| 54
| 24
| 13.50
| 282
| 163
| 5
| 2/18
| 32.60
|
1993-94
| return SL
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 4
| 4*
| -
| 72
| 44
| 0
| 0/19
| -
|
1993-94
| New Zealand
| 4
| 3
| 0
| 36
| 17
| 12.00
| 216
| 114
| 3
| 2/18
| 38.00
|
1994-95
| Singer Cup Aus,SL
| 4
| 2
| 1
| 5
| 4
| 5.00
| 90
| 76
| 2
| 1/17
| 38.00
|
1994-95
| West Indies
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 12
| 12
| 12.00
| 30
| 37
| 0
| 0/37
| -
|
SUMMARY |
|
M |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
Ct |
St |
Balls |
Runs |
W |
B Ave |
Best |
Australia
| 41
| 654
| 58
| 20.44
| 16
| -
| 2032
| 1246
| 45
| 27.69
| 5/43
|
Bangladesh
| 2
| -
| -
| -
| 1
| -
| 84
| 31
| 3
| 10.33
| 2/17
|
England
| 23
| 449
| 64
| 29.93
| 5
| -
| 1254
| 786
| 28
| 28.07
| 3/35
|
New Zealand
| 29
| 684
| 75
| 32.57
| 14
| -
| 1585
| 911
| 33
| 27.61
| 3/26
|
Pakistan
| 32
| 382
| 59
| 15.28
| 9
| -
| 1585
| 1113
| 42
| 26.50
| 3/17
|
South Africa
| 13
| 182
| 42
| 16.55
| 2
| -
| 660
| 375
| 12
| 31.25
| 3/23
|
Sri Lanka
| 34
| 356
| 49
| 19.78
| 10
| -
| 1516
| 991
| 38
| 26.08
| 4/31
|
West Indies
| 42
| 842
| 87
| 24.06
| 11
| -
| 2053
| 1242
| 43
| 28.88
| 4/54
|
Zimbabwe
| 9
| 233
| 175*
| 116.50
| 3
| -
| 433
| 250
| 9
| 27.78
| 3/54
|