5 players who faded away after the 1983 World Cup
The 1983 Cricket World Cup victory is arguably Indian cricket's first watershed moment. More than 38 years after Kapil Dev's team lifted the tournament, it is still revered and looked upon as a glorious moment in the annals of cricketing history.
Not many gave India a chance at the 1983 Cricket World Cup, but the team went on to do the unthinkable. From surviving elimination in the game against Zimbabwe to then conquering the mighty West Indies in the summit clash, the tournament marked the birth of India as a force in the sport.
A feature film on India's successful World Cup campaign, '83', is set to hit the big screens on Friday (December 24). Directed by Kabir Khan, the film sees Ranveer Singh portray the role of India's captain Kapil Dev at the 1983 World Cup.
A number of careers took off post the 1983 Cricket World Cup, with players such as Ravi Shastri and Kris Srikkanth going on to experience various peaks. However, there were a few stars who happened to fade away post the tournament as well.
Indian players who won the 1983 World Cup and then faded away
#5 Sunil Valson
Sunil Valson remains a popular name in cricket trivia. After all, he does remain the only cricketer to have won a Cricket World Cup despite not having featured in an international game.
Sunil Valson is a former left-arm fast-bowler who represented Delhi and Railways in domestic cricket. Valson represented English County Seaham Park in a bid to gain experience in foreign conditions. His performances earned him a spot in India's squad for the 1983 Cricket World Cup, but he didn't feature in any of the games the team played.
Post the World Cup, Valson didn't earn his India cap and drew the curtains on his career in 1987. Thereafter, he took to sports administration and was also involved with the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in assisting budding cricketers at the grassroot levels.
#4 Kirti Azad
Off-spinning all-rounder Kirti Azad was one of the unsung heroes of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup triumph. Azad returned miserly figures of 1/28 off his 12 overs in India's semi-final clash against England, which was pivotal in his side making the final.
Kirti Azad's career could not take off at the international level, though, having played just seven tests and 25 ODIs. While his last test came in 1983, Azad played his last ODI in 1986. Despite decent numbers at the first-class level with both bat and ball, Azad wasn't able to translate those into the international stage.
With my wife Poonam.
At the premiere,
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screening of 83 the movie.
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Post cricket, Kirti Azad became actively involved in politics and continues to do so, even today.
#3 Balwinder Singh Sandhu
Balwinder Singh Sandhu was the man who started it for India in the 1983 World Cup Final. A swing bowler who made things happen with the new ball, Sandhu's peach of an inswinger to dismiss Gordon Greenidge in the final, is part of cricketing folklore.
Opening the bowling for India with Kapil Dev, Balwinder Singh Sandhu picked up eight wickets from as many games in the 1983 Cricket World Cup. However, he only played 22 ODIs and eight tests in all, with the last of those games coming in 1984.
Post his playing days, Sandhu took up various coaching stints across Indian domestic cricket. He also applied for the post of Head Coach of the Indian Men's Cricket Team in 2016 but was unsuccessful in bagging it.
#2 Yashpal Sharma
Yashpal Sharma was one of the more defiant batters to have represented India. The right-hander carved a reputation for being able to repel bowling attacks for long periods of time. That quality came to the fore at its best during India's semifinal victory over England in the 1983 Cricket World Cup.
Walking in at number 4, Yashpal Sharma gutted it out for a gritty 115-ball 61 that laid the foundation for India's victory. Sadly though, a poor run of form saw Yashpal Sharma fade away from the test side, before he lost his place in the ODI side too.
Sharma played the last of his 42 ODIs came in 1985, before becoming the selector of the Indian men's cricket team in 2003.
Yashpal Sharma passed away earlier this year on July 13, having suffered a heart attack.
#1 Sandeep Patil
An aggressive batter well ahead of his time, Sandeep Patil wrote himself into Indian cricket folklore with a match-winning knock in the semifinal of the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Chasing 214, India needed impetus for their innings and Sandeep Patil provided that with a belligerent unbeaten 51 off just 32 deliveries to power India into the summit clash.
Patil also scored a valuable 27 in the 1983 World Cup final, which would prove to be crucial in the context of the result. However, he found himself in and out of the Indian team and was even dropped from the test side having played a loose shot on the final day of a test against England.
Sandeep Patil last represented India in 1986 but went on to don the role of the Head Coach for both India and Kenya. Under his coaching, Kenya even made the semifinals of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Patil was also the Chairman of Selectors of the Indian team for four years beginning in 2012.
Sandeep Patil also acted in a movie that hit the screens in 1985. Incidentally, his son Chirag Patil has portrayed Sandeep's role in the movie '83'.