On This Day in 1994: After 131 Tests, Indian Cricket Legend Kapil Dev Retires

On this day in 1994, Kapil Dev, one of the best all-rounders to have ever played for the Indian cricket team, made his Test debut. Kapil played against New Zealand in his last Test match at Hamilton’s Trust Bank Park.

Kapil, known as one of the best captains to lead the team, participated in 131 Test matches for India.

In 184 Test innings, he had amassed 5248 runs at an average of 31.05.

He amassed eight hundred and twenty-seven fifties overall.

434 Test wickets at an economy rate of 2.78 were claimed by him. In Test cricket, he also claimed 23 five-wicket hauls, and his career-best bowling stats were 9/83.

Kapil Dev claimed one wicket in the first innings of his most recent Test match against New Zealand, dismissing Kiwi opener Blair Hartland for a duck. In the second inning, he had removed New Zealand wicketkeeper Adam Parore from the game.

The final Test match Kapil played resulted in a tie. He played his last ODI against the West Indies on October 17, 1994.

One of the most amazing accomplishments of Kapil Dev’s stellar career was captaining Team India to their first World Cup victory in 1983.

In the championship match, the Indian cricket team, captained by Kapil, defeated the formidable West Indies squad. Kapil had pulled off a breathtaking grab to get rid of Viv Richards in that particular game. India, batting first, had amassed 183 runs. During the run chase, the Caribbean team was able to score 140 runs. In the match, Kapil amassed remarkable statistics of 1/21 in 11 overs.

During his career, one of Kapil Dev’s best knocks occurred during the 1983 World Cup against Zimbabwe. In the match, India’s batsmen crumbled, but Kapil made a heroic unbeaten hundred and seventy-five off 138 deliveries to lead his team to a respectable 266 runs after taking eight wickets. His knock came at a moment when it seemed like it would be hard to score runs at Tunbridge Wells’ Nevill Ground.

Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth, two of India’s opening batsmen, were out for ducks. Later, Kapil bundled out the opposition for 235 by taking one wicket. India ultimately prevailed in the match by a score of 31 runs.