How Sunil Gavaskar Transformed Kapil Dev Into Better Bowler

Kapil Dev was the greatest all-rounders to play for the Indian cricket team. He not only led the team as a captain to success on multiple occasions but also delivered for the side with the bat and ball. Kapil Dev was also the most impactful player in the 1983 World Cup and the youngest captain to clinch the prestigious trophy.

However, it was with the help of cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar that Kapil Dev improved his bowling. The incident took place when Gavaskar was playing in an opposition team but still advised Kapil Dev to better his bowling, to which he obliged.

Sunil Gavaskar: I asked him to bowl from a bit closer to the wicket

“I remember the first time I played against him was at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium in the Wills Trophy in 1978. We had just returned from the tour of Australia and Kapil and another talented all-rounder Rajendra Jadeja started to bowl against Mumbai,” Sunil Gavaskar said.

“Kapil was bowling well but was bowling from a bit wide of the crease, so I was able to leave the deliveries easily. When I went towards his end I asked him to bowl from a bit closer to the wicket. His teammates thought I was sledging him but he told them otherwise and then
started to trouble the Mumbai batsmen following my suggestion,” he added.

Dev retired with 434 wickets in Tests and 253 in ODIs.