A COMPLETE CRICKETER A complete cricketer, the jewel in Kapil’s crown was the historic World Cup triumph in 1983. Yet that did not stop the nation, the media and Prabhakar from doubting this man’s integrity. Never mind that Prabhakar had no evidence and is still desperately trying to avoid the law. But the lion-hearted man that he is, Kaps said in an interview:
“I pray to God to give Prabhakar brains and good thoughts. I haven’t forgotten the 1983 win or the other things in my life. But I can laugh at those who made the allegations now. And those who wrote things about me can’t see eye-to-eye with me now. They look very small in front of me.”

Yes, icons have strange fates. But for Kapil being awarded the Wisden Award was more of a spiritual experience. “By now, we know how to deal with fortune and doom.” And who knows, now with him regaining his iconic status, perhaps the Gujarat Government will re-insert the chapter on him in text books that had been withdrawn during the match-fixing controversy.
THE GENTLE GIANT However, through all this trauma, the one person who stood by Kapil was his wife Romi - supporting the man she loved and had married nearly 20 years ago.
Light years away from his own upbringing where though his father died when he was 14, his brothers ran the home. “I saw the world. If you don’t change, life’s not worth living.” Which is why, he says, he dropped his defamation case against Prabhakar and I S Bindra. “I was told it would take me 10 years to fight the case. I’m not a person to spend positive, quality time to get negative results,” he says.
Meanwhile, he’ll make his own tea when he wakes up at 4.30 am for his golf practice. “He may be a legend in his own lifetime,” says Romi. “For me, he’s just my husband and the father of our daughter Amiya.”
PS: Kapil Dev being an emotional person is understandable, but becoming maudlin every time he is given such a platform is becoming a tad too much to digest. Yes, he broke down once again when he was awarded the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century Award!
Seems like he has developed a problem with his ocular glands. The other day he was watching Mother India “and before I knew it I was crying like a baby.” Honestly, nothing is more unnerving than seeing super cricketers shedding tears.
Cricket talk * Captained India to a memorable World Cup triumph in 1983. * Scored a match-winning 175 against Zimbabwe in the ’83 World Cup after India was 17 for 5. * Struck four consecutive sixes off Eddie Hemmings to save follow-on in the 1990 series against England. * Youngest to do the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets.
Photograph: Rajan Chaughule
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