31 August 2004	Tuesday	14 Rajab 1425

TORONTO, Aug 30: When Bishen Singh Bedi's Indian cricket team visited Pakistan in 1978, tour manager Maharaja Gaekwad told reporters at Karachi airport on arrival that everyone knows about Sunil Gavaskar but "we have brought with us a young bowler who may rewrite cricket history with his performances".

"His full name is Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj," said the Maharaja adding: "I'm getting impatient to declare the Haryana-born lad as find of the tour." In next three years, Kapil became the youngest player to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets. Lately Kapill was declared by Wisden as 'India's Cricketer of the Century".

The legendary cricketer now says he loves to be a spectator. "Honestly speaking, I played enough cricket. Now I wish to watch and enjoy this lovely game from the sidelines," Kapil said in interview with Dawn on Sunday.

Kapil, who led India to their only World Cup title in 1983, is currently on a private visit to North America. After a two-day stay in Toronto, the veteran cricketer was scheduled to leave on Monday for United States where he will meet friends and play golf. "I'm happy to be in North America but I'm always confused with long highways here. If I'm in the fast lane, even I can be late."

Kapil ducked questions about the revival of Toronto's annual Sahara Cup event which was discontinued because of tension between India and Pakistan a few years ago.

However, when asked that tension has now eased and the two countries should start playing again in Toronto, Kapil retored: "In my opinion cricket should be played. It is not necessary that top teams should come here all the time. Zonal, state or county teams can also play matches here."

To another question whether Saurav Ganguly's present team is India's best ever side, Kapil said: "Performance must speak for the best team." However, he said the current Indian side has several world-class players.

"Still, there is a room for improvement," said Kapil who was often described as 'Haryana Hurricane' because of his forceful bowling and aggressive batting. In 1990, Kapil was batting when India required 24 runs to save the follow-on against England at Lord's with tailender Narindra Hirwani at the other end and four balls of an Eddie Hemmings over remaining. Kapil hit four consecutive sixes to pull his team out of the woods.

"Those glorious moments are still fresh in my mind," he recalled. Kapil, who made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1978 at the age of 19, was one of the four great all-rounders in the world in the 1980s along with Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee and Imran Khan. He played 131 Tests and scored 5248 runs at an average of 31.05 including eight centuries. He took 434 wickets at 29.64.