Hear it from Indians in different walks of life...

Wisden recently voted Kapil Dev as the 'Indian Cricketer of the Century'. The all-rounder upstaged batting legend Sunil Gavaskar and contemporary cricket's best bat Sachin Tendulkar.

N. Ram,
Editor, Frontline and Sportstar

Kapil Dev is a great cricketer but my choice would have been, undoubtedly, Sunil Gavaskar.

Considering the opposition he faced and the position he played under, Sunil Gavaskar is the greatest Indian cricketer of the past century. His performance cannot be bettered. He was there at the firing line from the start. As a captain also, he was good but I would give him the award for his batting. He faced all kinds of bowling under different conditions admirably, starting at a very young age and going on in a remarkably sustained way. So, personally, I feel he is the greatest.

Of course, these three, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar, are great players. It is very hard to compare them. I am sure the competition was tough. But for me, technically in terms of stroke play, in terms of temperament, in terms of total mastery over the opposition, Sunil Gavaskar is the best.

I have seen Gavaskar play on several occasions. I still remember his great innings in the West Indies. I can only describe those innings in superlative. Another great innings is the double century against England. I still would like to cherish those innings. I also know him personally. He is a great player and an extremely intelligent man. His knowledge is not confined to the game alone but on all other issues also.

I know Kapil Dev also, personally. He is a natural cricketer, and was like a breath of fresh air when he arrived on the Indian cricket scene. The way he played was wonderful and his temperament was, ‘never accept defeat’. He was a wonderful captain too in the one-day form of the game. And, the fact that he played so many Test matches without any injury shows his approach to fitness and also the mental attitude of the man.

I am sure it might have been very hard to choose among the three. Many may say, how can you overlook Sachin? He is regarded as the greatest batsman since Bradman. When you see more of one than the other, then you may go for him.

Another player who was mentioned along with these three is Vijay Hazare. I have not seen him bat but he was a wonderful player. I feel it is unfair to make a choice like this over these great players.

No, I was not disappointed because Kapil Dev was chosen as the Indian cricketer of the century. I am sure Gavaskar fans were disappointed. Anyway, my choice would have been Sunil Gavaskar. Kapil Dev himself went on record that he thinks Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar deserved the award more than him.

Shashi Tharoor,
Director of Communications and Special Projects for the Secretary-General of the United Nations

I'm happy to confirm my enthusiastic endorsement of the choice. Kapil remains my favourite Indian cricketer because he was larger than life in everything he did on the field; he dominated the other side with bat and ball, he was a dream fieldsman and a bold and imaginative captain. Growing up in the days when Budhi Kunderan was asked to open the bowling for India I never dreamt an Indian fast bowler would ever hold the world record for most wickets!

Except for one unfair dropping by the selectors against England in 1984-5, he would easily have broken the world record for consecutive Test appearances as well, because he was a natural athlete who kept himself fit. Above all, he could turn a match with his individual performance, something that could be said of few other players.

He has given Indian cricket-fans more exhilarating, match-turning moments than any other Indian cricketer -- the 175 not out against Zimbabwe after we were 17 for 5; the catch the ended Richards's knock in the World Cup final; and the four sixes in a row off Eddie Hemmings to save the follow-on against England would feature in any top ten list of great Indian cricketing moments of the century. Yehi hai right choice!

Tunku Varadarajan
Deputy editorial features editor and chief television and media critic of The Wall Street Journal

Hard to disagree with an accolade paid to such a great cricketer; but my choice would have been Sunil Gavaskar, the first (and last) Indian cricketer who showed that an Indian player can be great AND cussed at the same time, technically peerless AND fiercely stubborn.

Kapil and Tendulkar thrilled us, sent a frisson through viewers; Gavaskar inspired confidence. Big, big difference. If Tendulkar is Arjuna, and Kapil Bheema, Gavaskar was Yudhishtira. Not sure if this Mahabharata analogy works too well, though!