Mostly because they are controversial, the T20 World Cup 2024 has been characterised by a number of statements that have stunned the cricket community. These comments, which have received a lot of attention and traction globally, are related to pitches or the scheduling of matches in the ninth edition of the major tournament.
In light of his extraordinary ability and aptitude at making the ball talk during his playing days, one of the most real and heartfelt statements made by the famed Indian cricket player Kapil Dev, however, stood out. The revered fast-bowling great claimed that Jasprit Bumrah is a thousand times better than him ahead of India’s crucial 2024 World Cup semi-final matchup against England. When he thought back to the players of his generation vs those of the present, he concluded that although his peers had more experience, the younger players were better all around.
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“I am 1000 times inferior to Bumrah. We are nothing compared to these little boys. We were more seasoned. Dev was cited by Hindustan Times as adding, “They are better.”
They have better fitness. They work far harder: Kapil Dev
Compared to now, Kapil Dev’s time saw less focus on diet and exercise than it does now. But, in the present day, modern cricketers give these elements a great deal of weight and no longer regard them as external.
The 1983 World Cup-winning skipper addressed this change by saying that Indian players now were noticeably physically fitter than those in his day. In addition, he highlighted their unshakable dedication to every facet of the sport and praised their hard work ethic.
They are excellent. Fantastic. They have better fitness. They work a great deal harder. They are wonderful,” Kapil Dev continued.
Most people agree that the Haryana Hurricane is among, if not the best, Indian cricket player ever to have come out of the country. His masterful orchestration of India’s historic victory in the 1983 World Cup was a pivotal moment in the history of cricket. At the end of his longest format career, Kapil took more wickets than any other player, breaking the then-record of 431 Test wickets held by Richard Hadlee.