KAPILS
DEVIL’S 1983
The city was a furnace, sweltering under maximal heat.
The year was 1983, 25th June and the place was Delhi. It was a truly
momentous day. Multitudes had marched to the Ram Lila grounds to listen to former
Prime Minister of India, Shri Chandrashekar who had trekked all the way from
Kanyakumari to Delhi championing the cause of the down trodden and the oppressed,
and advocating a socialistic ideology to
metamorphose India. Flags of several political parties fluttered at the podium
at the culmination of what was termed as ‘Bharat Yatra.’
Meanwhile, motley groups of office goers, corporate honchos
and stiff babus and bureaucrats, all
took a break from their schedules. Two-time world cricket champions, the brawny
West Indies were to play against a fledgling Indian team. The match against the
Windies was tipped to be a ‘David and Goliath’ contest. In fact Ladbrokes, the punters, had bet heavily
against the Indian team. All the pundits of the game had written off India much
before the commencement of the game.
But such individuals were outnumbered by Indians
across the cricket insane subcontinent. For them it was a moment of reverie as the
Indians defeated the Pommies in the semi-final match, much to the consternation
of British populace and media. Truly, a ‘Lagaan’ moment for Indian cricket!
Sunny Gavaskar, India’s premier opening batsman was
to famously remark on the eve of the match, that either way one set of Indians
would romp home.
The
fascinating and riveting journey
The entire tournament had been a roller coaster ride
for the Indian squad. It was a chilly June 18th as Indians braced to
face Zimbabwe in a preliminary encounter at Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells.
Indians soon were reeling at 17 for 5, when the captain stepped in and with the
tail hammered 175, not out. India went on to amass 265 for 8 in their
stipulated 60 overs. They successfully defended the total as Zimbabwe was
bowled out for 235. Alas, BBC was on strike on that particular day and Indian
cricket fans could not witness the pyrotechnics of Kapil.
Let’s rewind to the dramatis persona of the finale of
the 1983 Prudential Cup, played at Lord’s, the Mecca of cricket. The
insignificant and lowly ranked Indian eleven consisted of Gavskar, Srikanth,
Amarnath, Yashpal Sharma, Sandeep Patil, Kapil Dev, Kirti Azad, Roger Binny,
Madan Lal, Syed Kirmani and Balwinder Singh Sandhu. Very few big names, but the
Indians played with grit and self belief under the dynamic leadership of Kapil
Dev and had advanced to the semi-final stage by winning 4 games and sustaining two
bruises against more fancied squads in their group. Each game was a learning
curve and strengthened the resolve and camaraderie in the dressing room.
The majesty and swagger of West Indians, burgeoning
with talent, comprised of Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Clive Lloyd, Larry
Gomes, Bacchus, Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshal, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and
Michael Holding.
The entire cricketing fraternity expected the
hapless Indians to be pummelled by the ferocity and sheer prowess of the West
Indians. But the impossible happened on that fateful day.
Gautama Buddha had stated aeons ago that nothing is
permanent in this world; the only permanent thing in life is impermanence. The
final match seemed to vindicate this sutra of the Sakyan Prince.
Put in to bat, the Indians were bundled out for a
paltry 183 in 54.4 overs (the game consisted of 60 overs at that time), at an
average of 3.34 runs per over.
In response, the hubristic West Indians torpedoed to
140 in 52 overs, losing the match by 43 runs. Mohinder Amarnath with his
amiable out swingers chipped in 3 wickets and conceded barely 12 runs off 7 overs,
which would make even the canniest bowler proud. In the bargain he won the
coveted Man of the Match trophy, while Srikanth scored 38 runs to become the
highest scorer in that particular game.
That particular finale has had far reaching
consequences on the contours of the sport. Today India is a major power house
while the West Indians are hardly the threatening squad they once used to be.
Meanwhile, India as a cricketing powerhouse has put
IPL firmly on the cricketing map. T20
has metamorphosed the cricketing world and the shorter version of the game has
added glamour and chutzpah to the sport. It would be noteworthy to mention the two
legendary and celebrated figures, Kerry Packer and Jagmohan Dalmia, who were
the trigger agents to transfigure the game.
Today colour apparel
has replaced gentlemanly whites and the red cherry has given way to white and
pinkish coloured cricketing balls. Cricket is now played under lights and on
occasion even in indoor stadia. Most importantly precious sponsorship has come
in, bringing in moolah to the game.
Back in 1983 it was a high octane moment as Kapil
Dev lofted the cup and sprayed champagne, while in one corner of Lords sat a
desolate West Indian team.
