Kapil Dev Has Been the Trend Setter for Cricketers Coming from Small Town: Sunil Gavaskar
Oct 25, 2017 at 12:40 PM
Former Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar feels that Kapil Dev is the reason behind the young cricketers from small towns, villages and non-metro cities. Kapil Dev played domestic cricket for Haryana which made cricketers from small towns believe that they could make it to the biggest stage. Gavaskar feels that earlier cricketers mostly hailed from Mumbai, Delhi or other metro cities but it was Kapil who was the trendsetter. Gavaskar was present at the launch of Democracy’s XI, a new book launched by Rajdeep Sardesai in Mumbai on Monday.
“Kapil was the one that made everyone believe that no matter where they came from they can go on to play for India and captain India,” said Gavaskar.
“He didn’t come from the metros until then players from the metros used to dominate the playing XI or the squad. There was an awe of players from Mumbai and Delhi by other players. Kapil changed it all. There had always been players who had come in from smaller states, but were not able to have an impact,” he said.
“Kapil played for Haryana throughout and I think he was the first non-metro player to have an impact and that is the reason why I say if India finds talent today from all nooks and corners, it’s only because of Kapil. Kapil was the first one from a small town to make an impact with bat and ball, to win matches with both. He excited a whole generation. He was the one that made the small town guys believe that this is not a big town guys’ game only,” said Gavaskar.
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He also spoke on numerous aspects, a show which was conducted by Harsha Bhogle. Sachin Tendulkar was also present alongside Rajdeep Sardesai, and it was a lovely session of an hour or so. When Sardesai tried to contradict him and say that MS Dhoni might have a bigger trendsetter than Kapil Dev for the cricketers coming from small towns, Gavaskar said he would still go with Kapil Dev saying he might be biased for the generation he played citing it to be the best.