On This Day In 1994: Indian Cricket Legend Kapil Dev Retires After 131 Tests

One of the greatest all-rounders ever to play for the Indian cricket team, Kapil Dev featured in Test cricket for the last time on this day, in 1994. In his final Test match, Kapil played against New Zealand at the Trust Bank Park in Hamilton.

Kapil, who is considered one of the finest skippers to represent the side, played for India in 131 Test matches.

He had scored 5248 runs at an average of 31.05 in 184 Test innings.

Overall, he scored eight centuries and 27 fifties.

He scalped 434 Test wickets at an economy rate of 2.78. He also registered 23 five-wicket hauls and his career-best bowling figures have been 9/83 in Test cricket.

In his last Test match against New Zealand, Kapil Dev took one wicket in the first innings as he dismissed the Kiwi opener Blair Hartland for a duck. He had picked up the wicket of New Zealand wicketkeeper Adam Parore in the second innings.

Kapil’s last Test match ended in a draw. On October 17, 1994 he played his last ODI match against the West Indies.

For Kapil Dev, one of the most remarkable achievements of his illustrious career was leading Team India to their maiden World Cup triumph in 1983.

The Indian side, under the captaincy of Kapil, got the better of the mighty West Indies cricket team in the final. In that game, Kapil had completed a stunning catch to dismiss Viv Richards. Batting first, India had scored 183. The Caribbean side, during the run chase, could manage to reach 140 runs. Kapil scripted impressive figures of 1/21 in 11 overs in that fixture.

One of Kapil Dev’s finest knocks in his career came against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup. With India suffering a batting collapse in that game, Kapil produced a valiant knock of unbeaten 175 off 138 deliveries to guide his side to a solid total of 266 runs losing eight wickets. His knock came at a time when scoring runs seemed quite difficult at the Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells.

Two Indian opening batters — Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth — were dismissed for a duck. Later, Kapil claimed one wicket to bundle out the opposition for 235. India, eventually, went on to win the game by 31 runs.