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Kapil Dev ends self-imposed exile
The country`s greatest allrounder Kapil Dev has decided to end his self-imposed exile from the game and agreed to head the training wing of pace bowlers being set up by the BCCI in the run-up to the 2003 World Cup.
The country's greatest allrounder Kapil Dev has decided to end his self-imposed exile from the game and agreed to head the training wing of pace bowlers being set up by the BCCI in the run-up to the 2003 World Cup.
Kapil, who paid a visit to the city on Saturday, agreed to take over the responsibility of training the fast bowlers following a discussion with BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya.
Disclosing this, Dalmiya told newspersons today that it was an "extremely positive development" that the former Indian skipper and speedster has agreed to come back to the mainstream of Indian cricket. "He will play an active role in grooming the speedsters. We cannot think of a better alternative and it is bound to produce good results."
"Bowling is one of the departments where we must focus attention and keeping in mind that the 2003 World Cup will be held in South Africa where conditions and wickets favour pace bowlers, we have decided to set up the pace bowlers' wing as a part of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore," Dalmiya said in Kolkata.
Kapil Dev, who scored 5248 runs in 131 Tests and took 434 wickets, severed all relations with the game after being named by his former team-mate Manoj Prabhakar in connection with the match-fixing scandal last year.
Asked how he persuaded the cricketer to take the decision, a smiling Dalmiya said, "If the country needs, personal sentiments should be set aside. That is what I believe. When I talked to Kapil he also believed in the same, as his first love has always been cricket. So, he is back".
Dalmiya said once the current Ranji season was over, BCCI would select eight or ten pace bowlers including the seniors and those at the junior level and put them under the tutelage of Kapil Dev in Bangalore.
He would be assisted by two or three comparatively young former pace bowlers of the country, Dalmiya said, but added that their names were yet to be finalised.
Besides honing the skills, the wing would look into various other aspects like strength, endurance, stamina and injury prevention, he said. Details were being worked out regarding the period of the training.
"A physical trainer will be there. But as Kapil is known for his superb fitness and never got injured during his long playing career, he can give the fast bowlers some tips on remaining injury-free," he said Kapil Dev would also guide those fast bowlers who had the flair for batting.
Dalmiya said BCCI has plans to set up a separate spinners' wing, details of which were also being worked out.
Bureau Report
Kapil, who paid a visit to the city on Saturday, agreed to take over the responsibility of training the fast bowlers following a discussion with BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya.
Disclosing this, Dalmiya told newspersons today that it was an "extremely positive development" that the former Indian skipper and speedster has agreed to come back to the mainstream of Indian cricket. "He will play an active role in grooming the speedsters. We cannot think of a better alternative and it is bound to produce good results."
"Bowling is one of the departments where we must focus attention and keeping in mind that the 2003 World Cup will be held in South Africa where conditions and wickets favour pace bowlers, we have decided to set up the pace bowlers' wing as a part of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore," Dalmiya said in Kolkata.
Kapil Dev, who scored 5248 runs in 131 Tests and took 434 wickets, severed all relations with the game after being named by his former team-mate Manoj Prabhakar in connection with the match-fixing scandal last year.
Asked how he persuaded the cricketer to take the decision, a smiling Dalmiya said, "If the country needs, personal sentiments should be set aside. That is what I believe. When I talked to Kapil he also believed in the same, as his first love has always been cricket. So, he is back".
Dalmiya said once the current Ranji season was over, BCCI would select eight or ten pace bowlers including the seniors and those at the junior level and put them under the tutelage of Kapil Dev in Bangalore.
He would be assisted by two or three comparatively young former pace bowlers of the country, Dalmiya said, but added that their names were yet to be finalised.
Besides honing the skills, the wing would look into various other aspects like strength, endurance, stamina and injury prevention, he said. Details were being worked out regarding the period of the training.
"A physical trainer will be there. But as Kapil is known for his superb fitness and never got injured during his long playing career, he can give the fast bowlers some tips on remaining injury-free," he said Kapil Dev would also guide those fast bowlers who had the flair for batting.
Dalmiya said BCCI has plans to set up a separate spinners' wing, details of which were also being worked out.
Bureau Report