By Admin 
Former wicketkeeper batsman Syed Kirmani told that before the 1983 World Cup, he and Dilip Vengsarkar were in the race to captain India, but the selection committee of that time chose the legendary Kapil Dev to lead the country in the third season of the tournament held in England.
At that time, the committee that selected the team was headed by former Indian batsman Ghulam Ahmed while Bishan Singh Bedi, Pankaj Roy, Chandu Borde and Chandu Sarwate were his fellow members.
Kirmani told PTI, ‘A question was raised during the 1983 West Indies tour before the World Cup. At that time there was a discussion before making Kapil Dev the captain. There was a discussion about me and Vengsarkar.
The former Indian wicketkeeper said, ‘This was an inside story that I had heard. Should Vengsarkar be made the captain or Syed Kirmani? So in this tussle, perhaps he said, why burden the wicketkeeper? But choosing Kapil did not prove wrong because under his captaincy, India won its first 50-over World Cup title. ‘Kapil Devils’ won the World Cup (then called Prudential Cup) 43 years ago on 25 June 1983 by defeating the strong West Indies team by 43 runs at Lord’s.
Now the team members will celebrate that historic victory in Mumbai on June 25, but Kirmani urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to give due respect to these legends.
Kirmani said, ‘BCCI should come forward and recognize the players of the 1983 World Cup and celebrate it every year on June 25 because they had laid a strong foundation for the board and the cricketers who are now enjoying the benefits after the 1983 World Cup.’
“This should be remembered,” he said. Everyone remembers 1983 and will always remember it. It is like the first love in one’s life. First love can never be forgotten.
Kirmani said, ‘That’s why we are celebrating June 25. We are all gathering. But I think BCCI should take necessary steps to celebrate the victory that we achieved in 1983 on 25th June. It will be a wonderful celebration.
The 76-year-old former cricketer mentioned the grand celebration by BCCI after India won the T20 World Cup in 2007 under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Kirmani said, ‘When Dhoni’s team won after 28 years, no player from the 1983 World Cup was invited in the BCCI celebration. This is not a complaint but it is everyone’s feeling that we have been forgotten. We had laid the foundation for today’s cricketers. We won and popularized television.
He said, ‘We brought money. Now there is no sponsor on this 25th June. Each one of us is going to meet each other and celebrate in Mumbai in our own way.
Kirmani gave the example of Dhoni to explain the changing status of the wicketkeeper in modern cricket. The journey from being just a ball catcher behind the stumps to becoming an important all-round cricketer.
He said, ‘The wicketkeeper should be considered an all-rounder. During my time, I was never considered an all-rounder. He did not realize that wicketkeeper is the most important part of cricket.