Kapil Dev Nikhanj, India’s first captain to win a cricket World Cup, spoke to The Telegraph on Saturday afternoon, some hours before flying back to New Delhi after fulfilling TV and radio commitments during the Asia Cup final.
Excerpts
Q Your standout memory of the Asia Cup?
A The brand of cricket played by Afghanistan. The Afghan cricketers hardly have a life, owing to all the problems at home, yet they have beaten tremendous odds to get to where they have. Now, we don’t have to talk in terms of only the four big cricket-playing nations, but there’s Afghanistan as well. Each one of their Super Four matches was decided in the last over, two lost and one tied.
Q Top performance?
A Has to be Player of the Series Shikhar Dhawan. He got two hundreds in the most challenging of conditions.
Q Didn’t India actually make a mess of the chase, getting to 223 on the very last ball?
A Look India have won, so there’s no need to be critical. Credit to Bangladesh for having stretched the final till the very end… However, I’m disappointed that India didn’t train after the tie against Afghanistan.
Q Turning point in the final…
A (Laughs) I was not making notes like you Reporters… There was more than one turning point.
Q India continue to have issues in the middle order…
A I suppose the middle-order issues will remain both before the 2019 World Cup and, maybe, even during the tournament.
Q Isn’t it shocking that the gifted KL Rahul doesn’t find a regular place in the ODI XI?
A I’d like Rahul to be playing and it would be good if he figures in the World Cup. There are still eight months between now and the tournament, so there’s time for the team management to work things out. If Rahul is not going to open, he can still find a place in the middle order. After all, with the advent of the T20 game, I wouldn’t say there are fixed positions for batsmen.
Q Jasprit Bumrah and the more experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar keep growing in stature. Your take on their performance in the Asia Cup?
A Both have been around for some time and both have turned out to be assets for India. Very effective.
Q Some words on Rohit’s captaincy…
A Are you looking to change the regular captain (Virat Kohli)?
Q Certainly not. However, what did you make of Rohit’s captaincy in a tournament where India had to play Pakistan twice and, both times, won emphatically?
A Rohit has been captaining the Mumbai Indians for years and has also led India off and on. We know what he’s capable of. Rohit was good (in the Asia Cup).
Q Were you shocked by Pakistan’s performance or, rather, the lack of it?
A Generally, I prefer not to talk about other teams, because I’m not privy to what goes on in their dressing room or the kind of environment they have… It’s not my business, but Sarfraz Ahmed’s captaincy wasn’t quite there. Maybe, Pakistan need to review who gets to lead them and, perhaps, also review those who are working with the cricketers.
Q Finally… You’ve been of the view that cricket was the bigger winner on Friday night. Will you elaborate?
A I have always maintained that there’s place for all three formats and the Boards should not only be looking to push the T20 game. The ODIs needed a boost and the Asia Cup has given just that. Each one of Afghanistan’s Super Four matches went down to the last over and, then, what a final! Bottom line is that the ODIs are, as they say, alive and kicking.
