‘It is painful’: Kapil Dev laments fall of West Indies, ‘Produced such great players, don’t know what’s hurting them’
The West Indies’ prolonged decline over the years was a few days testified by the fact that they failed to qualify for this year’s ODI World Cup. It is the first time in the history of the tournament that it will be played without the two-time champions. Shortly after their failed World Cup qualification campaign, the West Indies fell to a ninth consecutive Test series defeat to India at home.
Kapil had managed to be on the winning side of a bilateral Test series against the West Indies just once in his career
Former India captain Kapil Dev is among those who faced the West Indies at their prime. The Carribean side had won the first two editions of the World Cup and were heavy favourites to win the third edition as well in 1983. But, they ended up losing to Kapil’s Indian team, who had come into the tournament as rank outsiders. Interestingly, Kapil has managed to be on the winning side of a Test series against the West Indies just once in his 16-year-long international career.
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“It is painful to see the West Indies not playing in the World Cup. It is tough to imagine an ODI tournament without them. They have produced such great players. I don’t know what is hurting them now but, hopefully, they will make a comeback,” said Kapil according to TOI. A defeat to Scotland in the Super Six stage of the 2023 World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe sealed the West Indies’ fate.
Later there were some positives to take away as the West Indies prevented a strong Indian side from taking full World Test Championship points from them by putting down the anchor with the bat in the second Test. The West Indies ensured that they batted out the third and much of the fourth day of the Test and with the fifth day washed out, the match ended in a draw. It was an improvement from the result in the first Test, which they lost by an innings and 141 runs after being blown away for 150 and 130 runs in the two innings.
‘All about how expectations are managed’
Kapil said that while he can’t talk about how he thinks the 2023 tournament will pan out, India will always be favourites. “I don’t know how it will pan out. They are yet to announce the team for the World Cup. India will always enter a tournament as favourites as it has been the case for a long time,” said Kapil.
The 2023 World Cup will start from October 5, with the final scheduled to be played on November 19. India’s opening game will be against five-time champions Australia on October 8. This is the first time that India exclusively host the tournament. The country has previously co-hosted with either Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh in the past. “It’s all about how the team comes to terms with the expectations from all sides. We have won a World Cup at home, and I am sure the team, whoever gets selected, can do it again. A World Cup is coming in four years, and I hope the players will be fully prepared,” said Kapil.
