Kapil Dev on fantasy clash: 1983 World Cup winners vs India’s 2025 Asia Cup champions

Kapil Dev on fantasy clash: 1983 World Cup winners vs India’s 2025 Asia Cup champions (BCCI Photo)

Unable to control himself, veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai asked India's first World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev the "final question" of their TV interview for Sports Today. The question of hypotheses? "Is it possible that the 1983 World Cup champions could have defeated the 2025 Asia Cup winners in Twenty20 cricket?"

Kapil's ability to think clearly helped him lead India to an unexpected victory over the West Indies in 1983. “Very difficult to say. They can out beat us because they know how to play T20. We didn’t know,” he said.

“Even 10 years back people didn’t know how to play (this brand of) T20. Now 150 mile (kph) ball is coming, and they (Indian batters) are sweeping as if they are playing an off-spinner or leg-spinner. You can’t compare two eras. But I’d say they are far better. Unbelievable. They are far better than what our team (India T20 side) was even five years ago.”

In response to Sardesai's question on whether he would fit into any T20 team with ease, Kapil stated, “I’m not playing now. What difference does it make today?”

In response to the question of whether he had been impressed by any Indian star, he wisely stated that he would wait a few years before deeming Abhishek Sharma — or any batsman — a star.

“Most players did their job well. Abhishek has become a household name. But give this young boy couple of years, opposition will start understanding his way of playing. Any new bowler comes out like Bumrah, he has to tackle other people. Or Malinga,” he said. “Any new player, first season is very good, second season also. By third season if they are playing well, you will say ‘Yes! I think he has special talent.'”

However, Kapil told Tilak Varma's demeanor had impressed him. “But what Tilak played was fabulous. Maturity was unparalleled. These boys know how to win matches. They don’t get into panic mode where they start going wild. They know they can get 30 plus in last 3 overs. They will get it easy. Not even once I got the impression that they are shaken up or (needed to worry about) what will happen,” he noted.