Rectify mistakes: Kapil Dev on IPL mess

Kapil Dev

Kolkata, July 20 (IANS) India’s first cricket World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev Saturday said notwithstanding the country’s recent successes in the 22 yards, there should be no cover up of off-field mistakes like the mess that accompanied the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League.

“Rectify mistakes, one cannot forget past mistakes. If you play good cricket, bad habits can be hidden. But we should not try to cover up.

“I hope we have better sense and try to see no negative things happen and try to help authorities,” he said on the sidelines of a function here.

The sixth edition of the Indian Premier League was rocked by the spot fixing scandal following the arrest of three Rajasthan Royals cricketers S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan and 11 bookies in a post-midnight operation in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad May 16.

The cricketers and the bookies were alleged to have manipulated portions of at least three game.

Later, Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested for his alleged involvement in betting in the IPL. This landed the Board of Control for Cricket in India president and Meiyappan’s father-in-law N. Srinivasan in rough weather, forcing him to step aside till a two-member probe body submitted its report on the issue.

However, on the field, the Indian team came up with a superb show, winning the ICC Champions Trophy and the tri-series in West Indies which also involved Sri Lanka.

But Kapil dodged a query on Kolkata Knight Riders player Pradeep Sangwan flunking a dope test. “I don’t look into negative things. Go past mistakes and look forward.”