On this day – Kapil Dev carves history at the Tunbridge Wells

Back in 1983, the Indian batters weren’t particularly familiar with the concept of blasting a score that would be north of 170 in ODIs. It was just another unread tale from folklore that would adorn the legends of the sport while a century would create ripples in the Indian cricket fabric. Then on this day, exactly 40 years ago, a man called Kapil Dev Nikhanj changed the entire dynamics and penned history at Tunbridge Wells.

Standing on what could have been the death blow to their aspirations of making it to the next round after a remarkable start to the 1983 World Cup also known as the Prudential Cup, India desperately needed a win against Zimbabwe after consecutive defeats at the hands of Australia and West Indies.

Wobbling at 9/4 with the cream of the Indian batting, comprising the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Kris Srikkanth, Mohinder Amarnath and Sandeep Patil back in the hut, Kapil Dev walked out to the center. To add salt to the wounds of India, they lost Yashpal Sharma too before the Indian skipper finally took matters into his own hands.

Battling alongside Roger Binny, Kapil Dev started peppering the bowlers to every nook and cranny of the park. Braving the likes of almost insurmountable Peter Rawson and Kevin Curran who were in ominous form back then, the legendary all-rounder would clobber, club and bludgeon the Zimbabwean bowlers mercilessly.

Despite the fall of Binny and Ravi Shastri in quick succession, Kapil Dev simply did not relent. He kept on going with all his might and fury, leaving the best of Zimbabwe bowlers bereft of an idea to get him out. From 9/4, 17/5, 78/7 and 140/8, Kapil Dev would catapult India to a staggering 266 out of which he himself blasted 175, the record highest individual score in an ODI back then and also the highest score in a World Cup match by an Indian, until Sourav Ganguly would eventually break it 16 years later at Taunton.