The Kapil Dev Interview

YOU MUST PLAY – YOU MUST HAVE FUN!

Kapil Dev, is the Indian cricket legend regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders to ever have played the game. He was named by Wisden as the Indian Cricketer of the Century for captaining India to their maiden and only Cricket World Cup in 1983 and holding the record for the most Test match wickets between 1994 and 1999.

Kapil Dev still plays charity and exhibition matches and comenplay.com caught up with him recently in the UK playing for the Lashings World XI. The chance to play alongside old adversaries and heroes excites him. “Richardson, Greenidge, Ranatunga – all these great players. You remember your old days, and great memories and reminds you of how you love the game.”

Kapil fondly remembers the early years and his interest sport. “The town where I come from Chandigar had a great environment for sports. I had a chance to play, and when you are young you don’t know which sports you have ability or talent.” His talent shone through and his love affair with the game began. “For me it was cricket– that’s what happened to me”

Kapil was a right-arm pace bowler noted for his graceful action and potent outswinger, and was India's main strike bowler throughout most of his career. He also developed a fine inswinging yorker during the 1980s which he used very effectively against tailenders.

As a batsman he was a natural striker of the ball who could hook and drive effectively. A naturally aggressive player, he often helped India in difficult situations by taking the attack to the opposition.

He has always been a team player, and relished the chance to represent his country. “There are two types of people – very individual or into the team the country or the club or the city or the team”. For him it was about the team, and it is clear that he sees the discipline and support of teamwork as an example for life. “Team sports show you how you should build society – you depend on people and other people depend on you. So basically its like building society.”

This is the ethos behind the comenplay.com network, and the aim is to work with people like Kapil Dev and other Indian sports legends to fully develop India's sporting potential.

He now plays cricket just for fun, and is a keen golfer. He sees sport as a way for people to be healthy and active. When asked about the role for the Comenplay.com sports network in India he was clear: “I think this could be great in India”. And he emphasised the importance of such media in promoting sport. “Media and marketing will help people to play sport – if you can market well and give opportunities to young players, that is the key.” Kapil also sees the importance of role models and sports stars in inspiring people. “I think people like us who have stopped playing should come back and play with the young kids and motivate them to play sports.”

Kapil Dev was appointed coach of the Indian national cricket team in 1999 succeeding Anshuman Gaekwad. In his term, India won just one test match (at home against New Zealand) and had two major series losses in Australia (3-0) and at home against South Africa (2-0) and in general considered a disappointment. At the height of the match fixing allegation by Manoj Prabhakar — a charge that was dismissed later, Kapil Dev resigned from his position as national coach.

He has always taken pride in his integrity and sense of fair play. He was stung by the betting controversy, he announced farewell to the game stating that "I bid adieu to the game that gave me so much and then took a great deal of it away on the mere hearsay of a third party".

Kapil Dev supports the aims of Comenplay.com to connect people to play more sport. In India Comenplay.com plan to provide free web facilities for every sports club and player.

We asked Kapil for his message to someone who is around 30 years old and works in a regular office job in India. “Saturday and Sunday is not for the office it is for play. You must play – you must have fun.” He recommends a balanced approach to work and sport. “I think you can’t say that I will work 7 days. There are other reasons. There is a time for work when you must work, and there is a time to have fun – you must have fun. Sports are fun, We must have fun – evenings, Saturdays, Sundays.”

The message from Kapil Dev is a simple one: we all need to work but we must make the time to play sport for our health and well-being. Comenplay.com backs Kapil Dev and his message about the importance of sports development in the of India.

For more cricket action take a look at the Comenplay Lashings Network: http://www.comenplay.com/lashings cricket club with stars like Richie Richardson, Rashid Latif and Alvin Kalicharan.

Written by Yunis Kha

Email: Yunis@comenplay.com

Web: http://www.comenplay.comn