SK Tales! When Kapil Dev was left seething after a fielder conceded an extra run

What separates greats from mortals is the attitude of not giving even an inch away. Sanjay Manjrekar narrated such a tale regarding Kapil Dev, the greatest all-rounder the country has ever produced.

As part of Sportskeeda’s SK Tales, Manjrekar revealed how Kapil Dev lost his cool after a fielder conceded an extra run in a match in England. Terming Kapil Dev as a superstar, who rarely got angry and was always cordial with fans, Manjrekar recalled :

“This was a match at Old Trafford in Manchester. It was a small incident but it is still fresh in my mind after so many years. In this match, Kapil Dev was the bowler and an English batsman was batting. (One of the deliveries was hit to square leg). Usually, when the ball goes to square leg, it would be 1 or 2 runs at most. But, on this particular delivery, the assigned fielder gave three runs. That made Kapil paaji upset.”

Not long after, the teams headed for a break. Manjrekar was with Kapil Dev, and he noticed that the bowler was trying to control his anger. Manjrekar asked him, “Paaji, what happened?".

Manjrekar revealed Kapil Dev’s reply. The legend told him:

“Arey yaar! They were supposed to get one run from that position or maybe 2 if the fielder is slow. But how can we give three runs? How can batsmen take three runs after hitting the ball to the right of square leg?"

Explaining the rationale behind Kapil Dev’s frustration, Manjrekar stated that it explains the gulf between a great cricketer and an average one. He concluded:

“Kapil Dev rarely lost his temper, not only on the field but off the field as well. But, this incident talks of what happens when a great player plays with normal cricketers.”

Kapil Dev: India’s greatest all-rounder

Now 62, Kapil Dev is credited with revolutionizing fast bowling in India, a land traditionally renowned for producing great spinners.

In 131 Tests, Kapil Dev claimed 434 wickets (a world record at one point of time) and scored 5248 runs. He also picked up 253 wickets in 225 ODIs and notched up 3783 runs.

Indian players with 400 or more wickets and 2500+ runs in Test cricket:Kapil DevAnil KumbleRavi Ashwin#INDvENG

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 25, 2021

Under Kapil Dev, India won the World Cup for the first time in 1983. He was voted India's Cricketer of the Century in 2002.