Sunil Gavaskar calls Kapil Dev his 'Pied Piper of cricket' in emotionally touching speech

In 2020, India is perhaps biggest name in world cricket. cricketing giants dominate all forms of cricket and everything else that revolves around it. Cricketers like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni feature in international lists where or cricketer from any or nation is even spotted. Indian cricket team has had followers who literally worship team and that trend began in 1983 when y secured its maiden World Cup victory in England.

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Sunil Gavaskar credits Kapil Dev for Team India turnaround

India was t a cricketing superpower by any means when it played cricket before 1983. However, in 1983 World Cup, India ended up winning biggest trophy in sport and created a fan following that could only be paralleled by a few or sports, much to surprise of many. During 90s, superstars like Sachin Tendulkar appeared on television and enhanced mass-appeal of  gentlemen's game. In a recent event in Delhi, former India batsman and a legend of game himself, Sunil Gavaskar spoke about turnaround in Indian cricket and its journey since n.

Gavaskar credited his captain Kapil Dev's infectious positivity and energy as reason behind Indian team's seemingly overnight rise to success. Gavaskar ackwledged how Kapil Dev's energy was 'unending' and his skills with ball and bat set a good example for budding cricketers. Gavaskar likened Dev to a "pied piper" who is being followed by many youngsters till date. Kapil Dev lead India to a very unlikely victory over West Indies in 1983 World Cup Final. Gavaskar n moved on to expressing gratitude for batting maestros Lala Amarnath and Col. CK Nayudu. Amarnath was India's first-ever Test centurion and Nayudu was India's first-ever international captain.

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Gundappa Viswanath was next player to earn Gavaskar's praise as right-hander claimed that t a single person would have something ill to say about "Vishy". Gavaskar credited Viswanath's shot-making ability and lauded his efforts for Indian team. Viswanath scored 6080 runs for India in 91 Tests. He even holds  record of t having lost a single match whenever he made a century for India, alongside Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev.

Gavaskar n looked at 1990s, which acted as a turning point in Indian cricket. Mohammad Azharuddin match-fixing scandal which unfolded publicly in late 90s led to widespread doubt being cast on Indian team. Gavaskar called out men like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly for being trustworthy eugh for turning Indian cricket around in early 2000s.

Sunil Gavaskar n lauded Mahendra Singh Dhoni's "enviable" calmness that led India to its second World Cup victory. Gavaskar n moved on to Virat Kohli and how his aggressive attitude forged a new era in Indian cricket. He ended his lecture by mentioning how Indian Premier League (IPL) changed landscape of Indian cricket and turned India into one of cricket's biggest-ever superpowers.

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