'I played cricket & live life on front-foot'

A week after the silver jubilee of his team's magnificent World Cup win in 1983, former India captain Kapil Dev spoke to CNN-IBN's Anuradha SenGupta about cricket, controversies and a life which has been more than just a roller coaster ride.

Anuradha SenGupta: We are meeting you a week after the 25th anniversary of the World Cup win. This has been a trip down several memory lanes. What is the sharpest memory that comes back to you of that huger success?

Kapil Dev: I think lifting the Cup was the most important thing. It is every cricketer’s dream to do something great for your country. And once we lifted the Cup it was a great moment, a great feeling for everybody. It is difficult to express in words, it was just a joyful ride.

Anuradha SenGupta: That’s all you remember?

Kapil Dev: You know happy days go quickly. But when the bad days come, they tend to stick along much longer. How these 25 years passed is amazing and I was delighted to meet everybody. Everybody is healthy and wealthy. They look more content and happy. That as a captain and as a part of the team, made me feel happy.

Anuradha SenGupta: You gave Indian cricket’s first fast bowler, you are in that sense Indian cricket’s pioneer. Take us back to that time when you were a young guy and growing up in Haryana. You were called Kukoo?/I>

Kapil Dev: My mom still calls me that and so do my brother and sister with love and affection. I was just a naughty guy like any guy on the street who was not known. I think I did all the good and the bad things that all guys do. When you start playing cricket and you want to represent your country.

Anuradha SenGupta: When did it come into your consciousness that I’m just a kid playing cricket but tomorrow I want to play for my country. When did that happen?

Single Page view

1 2 3 4 5 6 next »

More Headlines from Interviews

• 'We don't need to hide Mendis'

• 'You don't practice sledging'

• 'India-Australia series will be close'

• India tackled Mendis well: Yuvraj

• 'Mendis can be one of the greatest bowlers'