One of the key reasons for India’s failure in the ICC WTC final against New Zealand was the lack of a fast bowling all-rounder. At the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, the New Zealand side defeated Virat Kohli’s men by eight wickets to win the important championship. Given the track’s preference for fast bowlers, many believed that a pace bowler who could also bat would have given India greater balance. Kapil Dev about all-rounders in india.
Kapil Dev is one of the finest bowling all-rounders ever, that India produced
Surprisingly, Team India’s whole 20-man lineup for the WTC final did not include a single fast-bowling all-rounder. Hardik Pandya was in contention for the position, but back problems restricted his bowling and he was unable to make the Test team. Kapil Dev is one of the finest bowling all-rounders ever, that India produced. But presently India is struggling to find a true match-winner who can assist with both bat and ball.
In addition to this, Dev stated that cricketers’ shifting mindsets prevent them from contributing in many aspects. “What I feel is that when you play 10 months of rigorous cricket in a year, you tend to get injured more. And cricket today is very basic – batsmen want to bat and bowlers want to bat. In our time, we had to do everything. So cricket today has changed,” Dev said in an Interview.
‘It pains me to see a player getting tired after bowling just 4 overs’: Kapil Dev
“Sometimes it saddens me to see a player getting tired after bowling just four overs and I’ve heard they’re not allowed to bowl more than three or four overs,” the captain of the 1983 World Cup-winning team added. Recognizing how far the game has progressed since his playing days, the former Indian captain noted that players should not be afraid to take on new responsibilities.
“I remember in our time – I won’t say whether it’s right or wrong – even the last player who would come out and bat, we would bowl at least 10 overs to them. That mindset should be there and that helps build muscles. Today perhaps those four overs are enough for them so we feel – our generation – feel a bit strange,” Kapil pointed out.
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