Whatever is good for cricket, BCCI should do it: Kapil on split coaching

Former India captain Kapil Dev on Wednesday steered clear of endorsing the idea of split coaches after the team’s recent 0-2 Test series loss to South Africa at home, saying the BCCI should adopt whatever coaching structure best serves Indian cricket.

Asked whether separate coaches for red-ball and white-ball formats could be an answer to end India’s recent run of reverses in Tests at home, Kapil said: “I don’t know… I can’t answer that. You have to really work something like that in your mind and say what should happen. Whatever is good for cricket, I think they should do it.”

Kapil, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain, rejected the notion that it is tougher to be an athlete in the social-media era than during his playing days.

“No, it’s always the same. It was difficult then, it is difficult now. It was easy then and it is easy now. Your mindset is more important,” he said.

On whether the growing financial pull of T20 leagues has overshadowed national representation, Kapil said each player weighs priorities differently.

“Everybody loves money, but some players feel that is very important. I still feel playing for India is more important than playing IPL. But everybody is individual, they have their own thought process. Good luck to them.”

Asked if he preferred any particular format, Kapil said he simply enjoys the game in all its forms.

“I just love cricket. Doesn’t matter even two balls cricket or 100 balls or 100 overs or 10 overs… cricket is cricket. See golf is golf, whatever format you play, end of the day you enjoy golf.”

He also offered a light-hearted remark on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma when asked about their performances.

“Good luck, they should play golf also,” quipped Kapil, who is currently the president of Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

Kapil was speaking at the launch of ’72 The League’, a city-based golf event announced by the PGTI and scheduled for next year.

The former skipper said India needs golfers who can win big global titles to trigger a mass shift in how the sport is perceived nationally.

“We have to produce world champions. Once they go and win a European Cup or US Cup, or win at the Olympics, it will change the entire scenario,” he said.

On what could be golf’s “1983 moment”, Kapil said: “These boys go and win a European Cup or US Open, something like that… that will be the cherry on the cake.

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“At the Olympics we just missed a medal. When only a handful of people are playing in our country and still we reached there, that gives hope. One day our kids will go and win Olympics or US Cup. In tennis, if you win Wimbledon, it makes a difference; the same is in golf.”