Former World Cup-winning India skipper Kapil Dev is today (January 6). The legendary will be turning 63 today and former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar feels that a victory against South Africa in the second Test is going to be a wonderful gift for Kapil from this Indian team.
“India have never won a series here. In fact, India have won very few Test matches here. The last time India came here in 2018, they won the one-day series but they lost the Test series 2-1. So this is going to be huge for India,” Gavaskar said during the lunch interval on Day 3.
Gift for Kapil Dev
“And the way I look at it is, I mean, weather permitting… tomorrow happens to be the birthday in my view of India’s greatest cricketer – Kapil Dev. So I think it will be wonderful gift for Kapil from this Indian team. There are many admirers of Kapil Dev in this team. So from this team to Kapil Dev, that will be a fantastic present.”
The Indian team led by Kapil Dev beat the mighty West Indies in the final and won the 1983 cricket World Cup. A Bollywood movie named ‘83’, based on the event, was recently released and actor Ranvir Singh played the role of skipper Kapil Dev.
Leading the series
Indian team are currently leading the three-match Test series after winning the first Test match by 113 runs. In the second Test match, being played in Johannesburg, South Africa need 122 more runs to level the series. And India on the other hand, are eight wickets away from scripting a marvelous series victory.
South Africa are currently standing at 118 after losing two wickets. Skipper Dean Elgar is batting 46 and Russie van der Dussen is batting at the other end at 11. India all-rounder Shardul Thakur produced a magical bowling after picking up a fifer and a superb bowling figures of 7/61.
In second innings, Thakur proved to be handy with the bat after the Maharashtra-born all-rounder notched crucial 28 runs off just 24 balls. His innings was comprised of 5 fours and a six.
The third Test match is slated to start on January 11, in Cape Town.
