When Kapil Dev gave a scorer with no assignment his best I-was-there moment

Not many nonspectators can claim to have witnessed Kapil Devrsquos unbeaten 175 against Zimbabwe during the 1983 World CupMumbaibased Yashvant Chad canChad was present at Tunbridge Wells exactly 40 years ago when the then India captain smashed 175 not out off 138 balls to put Indiarsquos historic World Cup campaign back on trackChad arrived in England for the tournament all set to write for a few newspapers back home but he was most proficient and well known as a scorer The scorers for the games were appointed by the counties so Chad wrote to them for opportunities Only Leicestershire CC got back asking him to be a scorer for the other India v Zimbabwe gameYashvant ChadAt Tunbridge Wells Chadsatnear the sightscreen at the pavilion end and had a good view of Kapil Devrsquos brilliance ldquoThe way Kapil Dev was playing you could call it copybook crickethellip not a single rash stroke The ball was moving the wicket was green He played shots straight down the ground to negate the swing In fact he was so confident that he wasnt beaten in the entire inningsrdquo Chad saidChad also remembered how Kapil Dev didnrsquot start hitting sixes till much later in the innings ldquoAt the beginning he would just lunge forward and play strokes either through midoff or midon no glances or hooks It was a perfectly controlled innings It was unbelievablerdquo he saidHaving lost to Australia and West Indies in the previous two matches it was a mustwin game for India The captain walked in to bat when India were 94 and were 175 soon after But the pressure didnrsquot affect him at all Chad recalled ldquoHe was always confident in any position never tense He would play four to five balls in an over and rotate strike with Roger Binny Madan Lal and Syed Kirmani He told them to just stay on the wicket Slowly he built partnerships with themrdquoChad who was a touch disappointed not witnessing the innings as a scorer considers the win against Zimbabwe as the turning point of the World Cup and for India as a cricketing nation ldquoTunbridge Wells was the turning point because from nowhere we won the game It created tremendous confidence and self belief in the team They started believing they could win from any position From 175 who would expect a winrdquoChad recalled the aftermath ldquoWe didnrsquot know what the reaction was in India as communications werenrsquot so good But in England our people Indians were so fanatic that they wanted to follow Indian team for every matchrdquoIndia ended up beating Zimbabwe by 31 runs in a 60over game and then went on to win the CupIfJune 25 1983 is a redletter day in Indian cricketJune 18 1983 is an important date tooAlso Read The 175 is 40 today