Best wishes Kapil Dev

S.Kannan in New Delhi

Happy birthday Kapil Dev. Paaji, I grew up as a school kid watching you bowl. Yes, most matches I watched after your debut in 1978 were on good old Doordarshan. However, I was lucky to have watched you bowl in flesh and blood at the Kotla as well.

The silken run-up, beautiful delivery stride, leap in the air and that beauty of an outswinger. Oh, how many batsmen became your bunny to that particular vicious outswinger, with Syed Kirmani a safe keeper donning the gloves.

Paaji, those were the days when an injury to you was unheard of. You defined speed, you defined craft, you defined hard work, you were all grace. You had the heart to bowl long spells in Tests, almost usurping one bowling end forever.

As a batsman, your flourish led people to call you “Haryana Hurricane.” The boundaries were authentic and the sixes lusty. You walked out, looking at the  Sun God. And when you ran to take catches, it was a sheer delight, athleticism blended with great eyesight to pouch the ball.

As you turn 62 today, my best wishes. You had health issues recently but by returning to golf so soon, you have shown the same heart, Paaji.

I only wish the fast bowlers in Team India, especially Test format, had the same hunger like you, the same fitness like you.

Paaji, during your time it was near impossible for someone else to replace you. Today, the Indian Test bowlers break down like a rickety old Lambretta scooter every other day. They do gym, pump iron, and whatever else. They take supplements, have top physios attending them and what not.

Yet, from Bhuvi to Shami and Umesh to a few more, Ishant included, they have not stayed as fit as you. It beats me how often they break down, it beats me how the BCCI does not handle their workload management. Is it because they focus more on IPL and less on first class cricket?

On Thursday, Navdeep Saini will be making his Test debut as Umesh Yadav was injured in Melbourne. Jasprit Bumrah has pace and bounce, Mohd Siraj was good on debut and Saini will hope to make an impact. Saini has got the nod ahead of T.Natarajan, aka Nattu for the third Test in Sydney.

I do hope these fast bowlers will someday learn to worship their own body like a temple. You did that Paaji and were able to shoulder the load as a bowler, batsman, fielder and an astute captain. You lorded over Lords in 1983 to take the Prudential World Cup.

Here is wishing you a fantastic 62nd birthday Paaji. May you continue to inspire millions more in India and abroad.

Best wishes.