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Some names and famous personalities have made their name in the field of sports especially in Cricket from all over the World. In these names, one personality is Kapil Dev. India won its World Cup under the captaincy and leadership of Kapil Dev on 25th June 1983. Dev is an all-round Indian cricketer player and a great pace bowler in India’s history. Also known by the nickname “The Haryana Hurricane”, he has made some record-breaking scores. In this blog, get to know the “biography of Kapil Dev” and his journey in the field of cricket.
Table of Contents
Who is Kapil Dev?
Kapil Dev was born on 6th January 1959 in Chandigarh. His parents were Raj Kumari Ram Lal Nikhanj and Ram Lal Nikhanj. He belonged to a timber merchant’s family and had a very humble background.
| Overview of Kapil Dev | |
| Name | Kapil Dev Ram Lal Nikhanj |
| Birth | January 6, 1959 (Chandigarh, India) |
| Nicknames | Paaji, The Haryana Hurricane |
| Wife | Romi Bhatia |
| Profession | Cricketer (All-rounder) |
| Batting Style | Right-handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm fast-medium |
| Awards | Padma Shri (1982), Padma Bhushan (1991), ICC’s Hall of Fame |
- Kapil Dev’s family were originally from Pakistan and came to India and settled in Chandigarh.
- He studied at the D.A.V School in Chandigarh and joined the Desh Prem Azad ( the Indian cricketer and coach) in 1971.
- He was married to Romi Bhatia in 1980, furthermore, the couple had a daughter on 16 January 1996.
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Kapil Dev: Cricket Career
Kapil Dev made his debut in the year 1975, with Haryana playing against Punjab. Haryana’s team won the match with Kapil Dev securing 121 wickets in the 30 matches.
- From the year 1976 to 1978, he played various seasons of Cricket against, Jammu & Kashmir, Bombay, etc.
- Furthermore, he played for the Irani Trophy, Wills Trophy and Duleep Trophy from the year 1978 to 1990.
- He debuted in his first Test Cricket against Pakistan on 16 October 1978, becoming known for his outswinger as he bowled Sadiq Mohammad out.
- Notably, he achieved India’s fastest half-century in Test cricket and the all-time record for the fastest Test century in just 33 balls. However, despite these achievements, India lost both the Test and series against Pakistan.
- Dev’s talent was evident early on, as he scored a century in his debut ODI match against West Indies, and went on to score 50 against them in another.
- At the 1979 Cricket World Cup, India’s performance was not outstanding, but Dev did manage to score 82 runs and take 3 wickets.
- In a home series against Australia, Dev’s achievements included becoming the youngest player to achieve the double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs in 25 matches, setting records as the youngest player to do so.
- Despite some setbacks, including a disappointing New Zealand tour, Dev’s resilience led him to replace Sunil Gavaskar as the Indian captain.
- His leadership was showcased in a game against West Indies where India made a record-breaking score and defeated them, marking West Indies’s first-ever World Cup defeat.
- India made it to the World Cup Finals after beating England and West Indies. West Indies wanted to win three titles in a row but lost to India. Viv Richards hit a hard ball that Kapil Dev caught for a record-breaking catch, changing the game.
- West Indies lost by 140 runs. After the World Cup, India lost to West Indies in both Test and ODI matches. Gavaskar became the captain in 1984.
- Kapil Dev came back as captain in 1986 and led India to a Test series win against England.
- He also led India in the 1987 World Cup but lost to England. However, Kapil Dev retired in 1994.
After leaving the National Cricket Academy, he came back as a bowling coach. He was also the chairman of the Indian Cricket League (ICL), which was started by Zee TV. However, the BCCI cancelled the pensions of ICL players, including Kapil Dev, in 2007. Kapil Dev was removed from his position at the National Cricket Academy after speaking out against the ICL. He resigned from ICL in 2012 but continued supporting BCCI.
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Other Careers Of Kapil Dev
After retirement Kapil Dev was appointed as the coach of the Indian National Cricket Team. In the year 1999, during his coachmanship, India won only 1 match and lost the two series.
- He was also accused of Matchfixing, citing which he resigned from the National Coach. However, was dismissed from his accusations later.
- He returned to cricket as a bowling consultant and was nominated as the chairperson of the National Cricket Academy in Oct 2006, for 2 years.
Records Of Kapil Dev
| Test Cricket |
| He became the highest Test Wicket-Taker in the year 1994 and broke the record of Sir Richard Hadlee. However, it was later broken by Courtney Walsh. |
| Became the only player in the world to have achieved an all-rounder’s double of 4,000 test runs and 400 wickets. |
| Most Innings in a career i.e. 184 Not Out. |
| Youngest Cricketer to take wickets – 100 wickets (21 years old)200 wickets (24 years old) 300 wickets (27 years old). |
| The only captain to take 9 wicket haul in test innings (9/83). |
| The only captain to take 9 wicket haul in test innings (9/83). |
| ODI Cricket |
| Highest wicket-taker in ODI Cricket in the year 1978 to 1994. |
| Highest ever achieved after a World Series final against Pakistan in Australia on 22nd March 1985. |
| Highest ODI score batting in the number 6 order in World Cup history– 175 Not Out. |
| The most number of balls in an ODI inning when batting at number six position in ODI history. The record was tied with Neil McCallum– 138 balls. |
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Awards and Honours
Kapil Dev has been awarded with various awards and honours. They are –
| Year | Awards and Honours |
| 1979-80 | Arjun Award |
| 1982 | Padma Shri |
| 1983 | Wisden Cricketer of the Year |
| 1991 | Padma Bhushan |
| 2002 | Wisden Cricketer of the Century |
| 2010 | ICC Cricket Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | 25 Greatest Global Living Legends in India by NDTV |
| 2013 | CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2008 | Honoured with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by the Indian Territorial Army. |
Books by Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev has written 4 books till now. They are –
| Year | Books |
| 1985; Autobiography | By God’s Decree |
| 1987; Autobiography | Cricket My Style |
| 2004; Autobiography | Straight from the Heart |
| 2019 | We, The Sikhs |
The film “83” starring Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, was based on the biography of Kapil Dev and the World Cup match of 1983.
FAQs
Kapil retired with a world record of 434 Test wickets, making him one of the best all-rounders and winning 253 ODI matches.
Kapil Dev set a new record by scoring 175 runs in a World Cup’s history, the highest individual score at the time, helping India reach 266/8.
The Haryana Hurricane and Kapil Paaji.
Relevant Blogs
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