Current India players don't reach out for help. They don't need us: Kapil Dev wants to 'detach' himself from IND WC team
Kapil Dev said that he wants to detach himself from present Indian World Cup side as he revealed that none of the players have ever asked him for any advice.
When players or team as a whole gears up for the ultimate stage in a tournament as big as the ICC World Cup, they often look for advice from yesteryear superstars in a bid to tackle the mental pressure of being part of a huge game. For the Indian team, gearing up for the semifinal match against New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday, the legendary Kapil Dev could be an epitome in sharing an advice or two, especially for the fast-bowling unit. However, the 1983 World Cup-winning skipper, in a telling remark, said that he rather wants to detach himself from the present Indian side, who are part of the ongoing home tournament, as he revealed that the players themselves have never called him up for any suggestion or advice.
Speaking on TRS Clips, Kapil was asked whether watching the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team in action at the 2023 World Cup makes him nostalgic and the veteran India all-rounder admitted that he would rather not be in their shoes nor tell them how to go about through the proceedings in the match. It was then that the 64-year-old revealed that none of the players from the current Indian side have ever called him up for help or advice.
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"Not really. I don't want to get into their shoes. I don't want to tell them 'play like this, do this or that'. I just want detach myself and watch them play.
“No (the current players don't reach out to me for help). The ones who want to reach but the ones who don't want to, I can't force them, they don't have an obligation to do so. These kids are very smart, they don't need people like us. We are not better than them. We can only guide them to get better,” he said.
Kapil was also all praise for Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah who have played a pivotal role in India's unbeaten run to the semifinal
"I think Shami is extraordinary, Bumrah with his action... hats off to him. I can't ever imagine that someone can be as devastating as him with such a short run-up and unusual action.
"They have the experience. They just need to keep themselves fit," Kapil said when asked advice he would give to Shami, Bumrah.
