It was Kapil's Cup - Vengsarkar

Dubai: Dilip Vengsarkar was one of the mainstays of Indian middle order during the Eighties, though his campaign in the 1983 World Cup was cut short by an injury. 'The Colonel,' as he was called, went on to become the Indian captain and after his retirement the chief selector of India.

In an interview to Gulf News, he spoke about the impact of the 1983 World Cup and recalled the glorious moments. Vengsarkar, along his teammates, will be honoured during the Legends of Lords function to be held at Atlantis here on October 23.

GULF NEWS: What is your best memory of the 1983 World Cup?

VENGSARKAR: My most unforgettable memory was definitely Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup, but personally speaking, I would always remember our second league match against the West Indies at the Oval.

We were chasing 283 for victory, and I was forced to retire on 32 after being struck on the face by a Malcolm Marshall bouncer. It resulted in seven stitches and ruled me out of the rest of the tournament.

What was the strong point of that World Cup team?

It think it was a perfect one-day unit. It had allrounders who could excel in all three departments of the game. We also had a very strong batting line up, with almost every player capable of making a significant contribution.

So do you think that that World Cup squad was India's best ever one-day team?

No. The greatest Indian one-day team has to be the 1985 World Series team, captained by Sunil Gavaskar, that won in Australia. The 1983 one-day side was perfect for English conditions.

If you are asked to pick one player who played the most important role in the World Cup victory, whom will you pick for it?

That should be Kapil Dev. It was his World Cup in every sense. His batting, bowling, fielding and captaincy played the important role in our triumph.

What was the attitude of the other teams when you reached for the World Cup since India had never done well in the event before?

We landed there as underdogs of the tournament. No one gave us any chance of competing, let alone winning the Cup. Prior to our World Cup matches, we played a warm-up match against an English minor County side and lost. We were also beaten by New Zealand in another warm-up. At that stage, no one gave us any chance.

So then what brought about the change?

We developed self-belief about performing as no one was expecting anything from us. Kapil's captaincy played a very crucial role. He brought out the best in each one of us.

Can you identify any turning point which boosted India's hopes to win the event?

Kapil Dev's 175 against Zimbabwe has to be the greatest ever innings in one-day cricket, and who can forget his stunning catch to dismiss Vivian Richards in the final. His role in the victory was very important.

Kapil Dev's 175 against Zimbabwe has to be the greatest ever innings in one-day cricket, and who can forget Richards' catch in the final"

Dilip Vengsarkar

Former Indian batsman