"We committed too many mistakes and allowed them to bounce back": Kapil Dev
Too many mistakes committed at crucial junctures cost India the Test series against England, former captain Kapil Dev said on Monday.
Kapil, who led India to triumph in the 1983 World Cup in England, said he always felt India were a better side on paper but they could not translate that into their superiority on the field.
"It is very simple... We lost the series because they (England) played better. I still believe we are a better team than them. But again, as I said, they played better," said Kapil, on the sidelines of a function organised by Indian Territorial Army and Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the announcement of National Marathon to be held on October 2.
India on Sunday suffered a 60-run defeat in the fourth Test against England in Southampton after they were bowled out for 184 in the second innings. With this, England also pocketed the five-Test series 3-1 with a match to spare.
Asked what he thought was the reason for the Indian batsmen's failure, Kapil laughed and said: "If all things had happened correctly, then India would have won the series. But bygones are bygones... Now I would like to see what positives India can take home despite the defeat.
"If you look back at the series, you will realise there were enough occasions when we were on the verge of finishing the matches in our favour. But we committed too many mistakes and allowed them to bounce back," he said
Kapil agreed that India remained too much dependent on Virat Kohli as a batsman. "Cricket is a team game, it is not dependent on one or two players. Virat Kohli got 500-plus runs and Joe Root could not do much. But that could not stop England from winning," he said.
Kapil, however, is not ready to talk about India's tour of Australia later this year, or whether the Australians would feel confident after India's defeat in England.
"I would like to see my own system working properly... Not what is happening there (in Australia). Currently, I am concerned about this tour and the next Test match is more important. Now you have to make sure that you try to win every Test match you play," said Kapil.
He also dismissed the notion that India, without captain Kohli, would be a weaker side in the Asia Cup.
"I don't believe the team will be weaker. It is a team game. Yes, he (Kohli) is an important player. You can rely on him. But whenever you start depending on one player, you are not going to win the series or the tournament. A few players are always important, but collectively you have to play like a team," he said.
Moving away from cricket, Kapil heaped praise on the Indian athletes for performing creditably at the Asian Games in Jakarta, where they finished with a haul of 69 medals.
"I congratulate the Indian athletes... They have made us proud. I would specially like to praise the women athletes, who have performed exceptionally," he said.
"At the Asian Games, we saw how Indian athletes from rather humble backgrounds came up and won medals. At the same time, I must congratulate the agencies, who played big roles behind these successes," Kapil said.
The champion cricketer picked up Assam runner Hima Das for special praise by calling her the "real hero." Hima bagged three medals in Jakarta - two silver medals and one bronze medal.
"Aspiring athletes with lower middle-class backgrounds are coming up more and more. You just need a push to make them play. The days of recommendations and nepotism are over," Kapil said.
https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/india-committed-too-many-mistakes-says-kapil-dev-256798