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Former India cricketer and swashbuckling batter Kris Srikkanth was one of the heroes of India’s 1983 World Cup squad.
He scored 156 runs in eight matches, with a highest of 39. However, his most crucial contribution came in the final at Lord’s against the mighty West Indies.
India were sent into bat after losing the toss in the summit clash. Srikkanth scored a brisk 38 off 57 balls, smashing seven fours and a six against a bowling attack comprising Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding.
It remained the highest score in the 1983 World Cup final as West Indies were bowled out of 140 in response to India’s 183.
Srikkanth went on to captain India briefly and was the chairman of the Indian selection committee that picked the Indian side which won the 2011 World Cup.
Kris Srikkanth: One of a kind on and off the field
Apart from being a whirlwind opener, Srikkanth was a hilarious character known for his eccentricities.
As 83, the film based on India’s most famous cricketing triumph, hits theaters on December 24, we look at five funny incidents surrounding Srikkanth, who turned 62 on December 21.
#1. When Srikkanth blamed Kapil Dev for ruining his 'honeymoon' plans
At a promotional event for the movie 83, Srikkanth revealed that he had planned a second honeymoon in America after the World Cup, because he did not believe India would progress too far in the ICC event.
The former opener, in fact, revealed that he had booked tickets for Bombay (now Mumbai) to New York with a stop-over in London to play the World Cup.
Srikkanth recalled:
"Sunny (Gavaskar) called me up and said, 'We are going to America for a holiday after the World Cup. We will play the World Cup on the way, so please book your tickets for Bombay to New York (with a) stop-over in London to play the World Cup.'
"That was the original plan. Sandeep (Patil), Roger Binny - all of us had booked our tickets like that. We were actually going for a holiday to the US. We thought we would play the 1983 World Cup (along the way)."
The funny man joked that captain Kapil Dev ruined his honeymoon plans and added:
"After the World Cup, we were forced to come back to India to meet the Prime Minister and the President. Then, we had to book the US tickets again in the month of August.
"We faced a loss of 10,000 INR because of this and Kapil, you have to reimburse the money with interest (jokingly)."
No one gave India a chance of doing well at the 1983 World Cup since they had only won one game in the previous two World Cup editions, that too against East Africa.
#2 "Kya paagal ho gaya hai hamara captain" - When Srikkanth termed Kapil a fool
In the trailer of the movie 83, one of the most hilarious scenes is the one in which Srikkanth's character says about Kapil - 'kya paagal ho gaya hai hamara captain' (Our captain has lost his mind).
Sharing details of the incident, Srikkanth revealed that most teammates laughed off Kapil’s suggestion that India could beat West Indies. Recreating the dressing room scenario, the former opener stated:
"Kapil Dev said when we can beat West Indies once, we can beat them once more. We thought that this bugger has become a fool. Roger (Binny), myself, Kiri (Syed Kirmani), Kirti (Azad) and all of us who were smoking thought that this guy had gone mad that day.
Srikkanth continued:
"(We thought) you are talking about beating this West Indian team. Thank God, none of us wants to remember the names of those four fast bowlers ever in our lives.
"And this idiot Kapil is coming and telling us that we will win this game. We thought kya paagal hai hamara captain (Our captain is such a fool)."
The 62-year-old, however, admitted that Kapil was serious about India having the ability to beat West Indies and lift the 1983 World Cup. He credited the then Indian captain for the the team’s famous victory.
#3 When Srikkanth was asked to 'keep standing'
Every Indian cricket fan is aware of Kapil Dev’s legendary knock of 175* against Zimbabwe when Srikkanth and Sunil Gavaskar were dismissed without scoring.
Mohinder Amarnath, Sandeep Patil and Yashpal Sharma were also out for single-figure scores, as India crumbled to 17 for 5 batting first in the 1983 World Cup encounter in Tunbridge Wells.
Srikkanth has a funny recollection of Kapil’s iconic knock as well. He was apparently asked to keep standing throughout the captain’s innings. The eccentric former cricketer told The Hindu during an interaction:
"There are a lot of superstitions in cricket. Kapil was batting well when I was standing with my wife Vidya outside the dressing room. And throughout his innings, I was asked to keep standing there because of a feeling that if I moved even an inch, Kapil would get out.
"It was a cold, windy day and things were not easy for me or Vidya. But Kapil's innings made us forget the ordeal."
Kapil’s innings lifted India to 266 for 8. Madan Lal and Roger Binny then combined to claim five wickets as India won the contest and reignited their 1983 World Cup campaign.
#4 Srikkanth winked at PM Indira Gandhi
Those who have seen Srikkanth batting would be aware of his winking habit. However, the former cricketer couldn’t control the peculiar mannerism off the field either.
In fact, Kapil Dev once revealed that Srikkanth winked at then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the early 1980s. Sharing a funny anecdote during a press interaction, Kapil said:
"Srikkanth always winked. So, us senior players told him that Madam Indira Gandhi was going to come meet us, and that he was not allowed to wink at her. I was taking her down the line-up and Cheeka was next to Sunil Gavaskar.
"Now, anyone who meets Gavaskar would take that 30 seconds extra to interact with him. The moment I introduced Cheeka, he started winking left, right and centre at her."
The former captain revealed that when Srikkanth was confronted about the same, he replied:
"Well, she started it first."
#5. How Srikkanth got the nickname ‘Dadpadango’
In 2019, Srikkanth and Kapil appeared as guests on a show titled "Cricket Diaries." During the interaction, Srikkanth opened up about his superstitious nature and said that he used to curl his bat at the crease.
He added that he often dropped his bat from his hands. Kapil revealed that due to this habit of dropping things Srikkanth earned the nickname "Dadpadango."
Kapil also claimed that it was "almost impossible" for Srikkanth to walk straight. During a Test match in Adelaide, Srikkanth fell down multiple times.
There are a few steps between the lobby and the resting area, and Srikkanth overlooked the stairs, causing him to fall. Kapil even placed a bet that he would take his teammates to dinner if Srikkanth did not fall and won the bet easily.
Srikkanth himself chipped in and explained that his superstition of always looking up towards the sun did not help his cause.
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