Kapil Dev inducted into Hall of Fame

Former India captain Kapil Dev has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. The 51-year-old played 131 Tests and 225 ODIs across a 16-year career, and is best remembered for leading India to victory in the 1983 World Cup.

Kapil made his international debut in a one-dayer against Pakistan in Quetta in October 1978. His Test debut followed two weeks later in Faisalabad against the same opponents.

One of the greatest fast bowlers that India has produced and its finest bowling allrounder, he ended with a remarkable 434 Test wickets and 253 ODI wickets.

In 1994, he became the leading wicket-taker in Tests when he overtook Richard Hadlee, a record that was eventually broken by West Indies pacer Courtney Walsh. Also, in 1988 he leapfrogged another West Indies fast bowler, Joel Garner, to become the most successful bowler in ODIs, a record he held until 1994 when his tally of 253 wickets was passed by Wasim Akram.

Kapil's best bowling figures in a Test were 11 for 146 against Pakistan in Chennai in 1980, while in ODIs his best figures came in the group stages of the 1983 World Cup when he took 5 for 43 against Australia in Nottingham.

With the bat, he scored 5248 Test runs, including eight centuries and 27 fifties, at an average of 31.05. He also made 3783 ODI runs, including a highest of 175 not out against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells during the 1983 World Cup.

At a ceremony at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Monday, ICC president David Morgan, alongside former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd presented Kapil with a commemorative cap.

Speaking on the occassion, Kapil said, "I am proud and happy to have been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and it's amazing to think that I have been picked as one of the greats of Indian cricket.

"I am delighted to have been named alongside so many great players of the game but for me, when I was growing up, the man I always looked up to was Sunil Gavaskar from the moment I started playing cricket. Now to be named also alongside greats of the game such as Clive Lloyd, Richard Hadlee and Wasim Akram it truly fantastic," he said.

Morgan said Kapil was an all-time great player. "He did everything. He batted, bowled and he was a fine fielder. I remember the great catch he took to dismiss Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup final - he was on the run and the ball came over his shoulder, possibly the most difficult of catches."

Lloyd, who was Kapil's opposing number in the 1983 World Cup final, said he was a thoroughly deserving induction into the Hall of Fame. "He was a fantastic cricketer and he was a great asset for Indian cricket during his time at the helm," Lloyd said. "He set the pace for them early on and he came to the fore and did wonderfully well - he played like a true champion and was a brilliant leader."