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Former Indian wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani had a funny story to share which happened during the game where Kapil Dev played arguably one of the greatest knocks of all time during the 1983 World Cup.
India faced Zimbabwe in what was a potentially a knockout game for Kapil and Co. and they got off to a horrific start. Kirmani generally batted at No.10 for India so whenever they batted, he used to take his time and relax in the dressing room.
However, speaking to Star Sports, Syed Kirmani opened up on how he had to get ready quickly as India collapsed against Zimbabwe, losing five wickets for just 17 runs. He said:
"They never considered me an all-rounder so there were seven all-rounders and I used to bat down the order. So against Zimbabwe when Kapil Dev won the toss and he decided to bat, I got a bit relaxed and I was preparing for a good breakfast and a good shower. Suddenly there were shouts of 'Pad up, Kiri!' from teammates and I ignored it as they used to pull my leg. But when those chants happened repeatedly, I was a bit surprised. I went and checked the scoreboard and when I saw it was 17/5, I was so shocked that the towel that I wore slipped."
Kirmani and Kapil Dev added a crucial 126 runs for the ninth wicket and it was the wicketkeeper who ensured he stayed till the end and provided the captain with all the support he needed. He also probably got the best seat in the house to watch Kapil unleash himself on the opposition and added:
"I can't even recollect how quickly I padded up and whether I even had my breakfast as I went in to bat at 120/8 (140/8). Kapil Dev was standing in the middle and you could understand the disappointment and what was going on in his mind. I haven't seen a more devastating knock played by a batter in that situation."
Sunil Gavaskar on Kapil Dev's 175*
Sunil Gavaskar was also present in the discussion and the legendary Indian opener claimed that he hadn't seen a better innings than the one Kapil Dev played against Zimbabwe.
There was no video footage of the game and so only the crowd who were present there and the players were lucky enough to witness Kapil's masterclass. On this, Gavaskar stated:
"I have seen many hundreds. I have seen Sachin score hundreds, Virat score hundreds, Mahi (Dhoni) score hundreds and even Veeru (Sehwag) score hundreds. But I haven't seen a better ODI innings than that 175. That innings can't be compared to anything."
That knock from the Indian captain spurred the team on as they went all the way to win the 1983 World Cup against all odds, beating the great West Indies team in the final.
