Kapil Dev made his Test debut in October of 1978 against India's arch-rival, Pakistan. The 19-year-old sportsman from Chandigarh was a sensation. For the first time, India had a genuine fast bowler.
In this footage of Kapil Dev's first over in Test cricket, you can see that he is quick. But he is being dispatched around the ground. He bowled a no-ball and gave away boundaries but it didn't take him long to became more menacing. In his second over, he bowled a bouncer to Sadiq Mohammed that climbed steeply and barely missed his cap. This forced Mohammed to signal the dressing room for a helmet, something that was unprecedented against Indian bowlers at that time.
Kapil Dev went on to being India's best all-rounder and the cricket reference book Wisden named him its Indian Cricketer of the Century. During his 16-year Test career, he took 434 wickets in 131 matches. He was also the first Indian captain to lead the team to a World Cup win in 1983.
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In this footage of Kapil Dev's first over in Test cricket, you can see that he is quick. But he is being dispatched around the ground. He bowled a no-ball and gave away boundaries but it didn't take him long to became more menacing. In his second over, he bowled a bouncer to Sadiq Mohammed that climbed steeply and barely missed his cap. This forced Mohammed to signal the dressing room for a helmet, something that was unprecedented against Indian bowlers at that time.
Kapil Dev went on to being India's best all-rounder and the cricket reference book Wisden named him its Indian Cricketer of the Century. During his 16-year Test career, he took 434 wickets in 131 matches. He was also the first Indian captain to lead the team to a World Cup win in 1983.