Kapil Dev facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kapil Dev
Dev in 2013
Personal details
Born	Kapil Dev Nikhanj (1959-01-06) 6 January 1959 (age 66) Chandigarh, India
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Spouse	Romi Dev (m. 1980)
Children	1
Nicknames	The Haryana Hurricane, Kaps
Awards	Padma Bhushan: 1991 Padma Shri: 1982
Cricket information Batting Right-handed Bowling Right arm fast-medium Role All-rounder International information National side India (1978–1994) Test debut (cap 141) 16 October 1978 v Pakistan Last Test 19 March 1994 v New Zealand ODI debut (cap 25) 1 October 1978 v Pakistan Last ODI 17 October 1994 v West Indies Domestic team information Years Team 1975–1992 Haryana 1981–1983 Northamptonshire 1984–1985 Worcestershire Head coaching information Years Team 1999–2000 India Career statistics Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 131 225 275 309 Runs scored 5,248 3,783 11,356 5,461 Batting average 31.05 23.79 32.91 24.59 100s/50s 8/27 1/14 18/56 2/23 Top score 163 175* 193 175* Balls bowled 27,740 11,202 48,853 14,947 Wickets 434 253 835 335 Bowling average 29.64 27.45 27.09 27.34 5 wickets in innings 23 1 39 2 10 wickets in match 2 0 3 0 Best bowling 9/83 5/43 9/83 5/43 Catches/stumpings 64/– 71/– 192/– 99/– Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  India ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 1983 England and Wales ACC Asia Cup Winner 1988 Bangladesh Winner 1990–91 India Source: ESPNcricinfo, 24 January 2008

Kapil Dev (born 6 January 1959) is a famous Indian former cricket captain. Many people think he is one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history. An all-rounder is a player who is good at both batting and bowling. Kapil Dev was a fast-medium bowler and a strong middle-order batsman.

He is the only player in Test cricket history to take over 400 wickets (434 wickets) and score more than 5,000 runs. This shows how amazing he was at both skills!

Kapil Dev led the Indian cricket team to win the 1983 Cricket World Cup. This was a huge moment for India, as it was their first World Cup win. He was also the youngest captain (at 24) to win the World Cup. He retired in 1994. He was the first player to take 200 ODI wickets. He also held the world record for the most wickets in Test cricket for a while.

After retiring, he coached the Indian national team for about a year. Kapil Dev has received many top awards. These include the Padma Shri in 1982 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991. In 2002, Wisden named him the Indian Cricketer of the Century. He was also added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2010.

Early Life and Cricket Beginnings

Kapil Dev Nikhanj was born in Chandigarh, India, on 6 January 1959. His family moved to Chandigarh after the partition. He studied at D. A. V. College.

Starting His Domestic Career

Kapil Dev started playing for the Haryana in November 1975. In his first match, he took 6 wickets, helping Haryana win easily. He took 121 wickets in 30 matches that season.

He continued to show his talent in the following years. In the 1976–77 season, he took 8 wickets for just 20 runs in one innings. This helped his team bowl out Bengal for a very low score. In the 1977–78 season, he took 8 wickets in one innings and 10 wickets in a match for the first time. This made him a player to watch.

Becoming a National Star

In the 1978–79 season, Kapil Dev became well-known. He scored 62 runs and took 5 catches in one important match. He also took 7 wickets in a Duleep Trophy final. Soon after, he played his first Test match for India against Pakistan.

In the 1979–80 season, he showed his batting skills by scoring his highest first-class score of 193 runs. He also captained Haryana for the first time. As he became a regular player for the Indian national team, he played fewer domestic matches.

Winning the Ranji Trophy

In the 1990–91 season, Kapil Dev led Haryana to win the Ranji Trophy. This was his only Ranji Trophy championship. In the semi-final, he scored 141 runs and took 5 wickets.

The final match was against Bombay, which had many famous players like Sachin Tendulkar. Haryana scored 522 runs in their first innings. Bombay fought hard, but Haryana won by just 3 runs in a very exciting finish.

Playing County Cricket in England

Kapil Dev also played county cricket in England. He played for Northamptonshire from 1981 to 1983. Then he played for Worcestershire in 1984 and 1985. During his time in England, he scored 2,312 runs and took 103 wickets.

International Cricket Journey

A graph showing Kapil Dev's test career bowling statistics and how they have varied over time.

Early International Years (1978–1982)

Kapil Dev made his Test cricket debut in Pakistan on 16 October 1978. He surprised Pakistani batsmen with his fast bowling. He took his first wicket with his special outswinger delivery. He also showed his batting power by scoring India's fastest Test half-century.

In a series against West Indies, he scored his first Test century (126 runs). He also took 17 wickets. Later, in England, he took his first 5-wicket haul in a Test match. His debut in ODI Cricket was in Pakistan, but his early ODI performances were not as strong.

Kapil Dev became India's top fast bowler in 1979–80. He took 28 wickets against Australia. He also helped India win two matches against Pakistan. In one match, he took 10 wickets and scored 84 runs. This all-round performance is one of his best. He became the youngest player to achieve the all-round double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs in Tests.

In 1980–81, during India's tour of Australia, Kapil Dev played a heroic role. Despite a groin injury, he bowled brilliantly on the final day. He took 5 wickets for just 28 runs, helping India win the match. This was a memorable performance.

He continued his great form in 1981–82 against England. He scored 318 runs, including a century, and took 22 wickets. He was named the Man of the Series. He had another great series against England in 1982, scoring 292 runs and taking 10 wickets.

Becoming Captain and World Cup Glory (1982–1984)

Kapil Dev became India's captain in 1982. His first big challenge was leading India in the 1983 Cricket World Cup. India had only won one match in the previous two World Cups.

The 1983 World Cup Triumph

India started the 1983 World Cup by beating the strong West Indies team. Then they beat Zimbabwe. After some losses, India needed to win against Zimbabwe to reach the semi-finals.

In that crucial match against Zimbabwe, India was in big trouble. They had lost 5 wickets for only 17 runs! Kapil Dev came to bat and played an incredible innings. He scored 175 runs not out from 138 balls. This included 16 fours and 6 sixes. He built a record-breaking partnership of 126 runs for the 9th wicket. India won the match by 31 runs. This innings is still one of the greatest in ODI history.

Dev with the Indian President Zail Singh after the team's return to India post winning the World Cup. They are holding the Cricket World Cup Trophy.

In the semi-finals, India beat England. Then, they faced the West Indies again in the final. West Indies were aiming for their third straight World Cup title. India scored 183 runs. During West Indies' chase, Kapil Dev took a fantastic catch running backwards to dismiss the dangerous Viv Richards. This catch changed the game. West Indies collapsed and were bowled out for 140 runs. India won their first World Cup! Kapil Dev led from the front, scoring 303 runs and taking 12 wickets in the tournament.

After the World Cup

After the World Cup win, India hosted the West Indies. India lost both the Test and ODI series. Kapil Dev recorded his best Test bowling figures of 9 wickets for 83 runs in one match. Due to inconsistent form, he was replaced as captain in early 1984.

Second Term as Captain (1985–1987)

Kapil Dev became captain again in 1985. Under his leadership, India won the World Championship of Cricket. They beat Pakistan in the final. India also won the Rothmans Four-Nations Cup. In 1986, he led India to a Test series win in England. He was also part of the famous second Tied Test against Australia, where he was named joint man of the match.

He captained India in the 1987 Cricket World Cup. In one match, he showed great sportsmanship. He agreed to add two runs to Australia's score because a boundary was wrongly called a four instead of a six. India lost that match by just one run. India reached the semi-finals but lost to England. Kapil Dev did not captain India again after this.

Kapil Dev's Cricket Skills

Kapil Dev was known for his smooth bowling action. He was a right-arm pace bowler who could swing the ball away from right-handed batsmen. This delivery was very effective. He also developed a good inswinging yorker. As a batsman, he was naturally aggressive. He could hit the ball hard and often helped India in tough situations. He was nicknamed The Haryana Hurricane.

Dev's career performance graph.

Bowling Style

Kapil Dev's natural bowling action allowed him to bowl outswingers easily. He aimed to beat the batsman's outside edge. Later, he also learned to bowl inswingers. By 1983, he had taken about 250 Test wickets.

Even after knee surgery in 1984, he continued to be an effective bowler for another ten years. He never missed a single Test or ODI match due to fitness issues. In 1991–92, he became the second bowler ever to take 400 wickets in Test cricket.

Final Years of Playing

Kapil Dev remained India's main fast bowler in the early 1990s. In a Test match at Lord's in 1990, he famously hit four sixes in a row to help India avoid following on.

He became a valuable batsman in ODI matches. He was often used to score runs quickly, especially in the last few overs. He played in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, which was his last. He retired in 1994, after breaking the record for the most Test wickets.

Coaching Career

Kapil Dev became the coach of the Indian national cricket team in September 1999. His first series as coach was at home against New Zealand, which India won. However, India then lost Test series in Australia and at home against South Africa.

During his time as coach, there were some controversies. Kapil Dev resigned as coach in September 2000, after less than a year. The CBI (India's main investigating agency) looked into the matter. In November 2000, the CBI cleared Kapil Dev of any wrongdoing.

His time as coach was not very successful in terms of wins. India won only one Test match out of 8 played and 9 ODIs out of 25 played.

Life After Cricket

After stepping away from the public eye for a while, Kapil Dev returned to cricket. In 2002, Wisden named him the Indian Cricketer of the Century. He said this was "my finest hour."

He later worked as a bowling consultant and coach. In 2006, he became the chairman of the National Cricket Academy. In 2005, he also had a small role in the movie Iqbal, playing himself.

Dev with Indian PM Narendra Modi, Australian PM Tony Abbott, Sunil Gavaskar and VVS Laxman along with the Cricket World Cup Trophy and Border–Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2014.

In 2007, Kapil Dev joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL). This led to some issues with the BCCI, and his pension was stopped. However, in 2012, he resigned from the ICL and returned to support the BCCI.

In 2019, he was appointed as the first chancellor of the Sports University of Haryana.

Personal Life

Kapil Dev married Romi Bhatia in 1980. They have a daughter named Amiya Dev, born in 1996.

He started playing golf in 1993. He was also a founding member of the Laureus Foundation in 2000, which promotes sports for social good. In 2020, Kapil Dev had a heart attack and underwent surgery, but he recovered well.

Books by Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev has written four books. Three of them are about his life:

• By God's Decree (1985)
• Cricket My Style (1987)
• Straight from the Heart (2004)

His latest book, We, The Sikhs, was released in 2019.

Records and Awards

Test Cricket Records

• In 1994, he became the highest Test wicket-taker in the world. This record was later broken by Courtney Walsh.
• He is the only player to achieve the amazing feat of 5,000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets.

Awards and Honors

• 1979–80 – Arjuna Award
• 1982 – Padma Shri
• 1983 – Wisden Cricketer of the Year
• 1991 – Padma Bhushan
• 2002 – Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century
• 2010 – ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
• 2013 – CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award
• 2019 – Bharat Gaurav Award

Film Appearances

Kapil Dev has appeared as himself in several films and TV shows:

• C.I.D. (TV series)
• Dillagi... Yeh Dillagi (1994)
• Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004)
• Iqbal (2005)
• Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii (2007)
• 83 (2021) – a film about the 1983 World Cup win, where he was portrayed by Ranveer Singh
• Double XL (2022)
• Lal Salaam (2024)