Kapil Dev is widely universally celebrated as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history and the legendary captain who led India to its historic 1983 World Cup triumph. However, his journey through Indian cricket was not entirely smooth sailing. Across his nearly two-decade-long career and his subsequent stint as a coach, he found himself at the center of several high-profile controversies.
The absolute biggest storm of Kapil Dev's professional life arrived in May 2000. Former teammate Manoj Prabhakar accused Kapil of offering him a bribe of ₹25 lakh to underperform or throw away an ODI match against Pakistan during the 1994 Singer Cup in Sri Lanka.
The allegation sent shockwaves through the nation, deeply denting Kapil's image while he was serving as the head coach of the Indian national team.
In a highly emotional, live televised interview with journalist Karan Thapar on BBC, Kapil broke down in tears, famously stating that he would rather commit suicide than betray his country. Following an intense investigation, India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completely exonerated and cleared Kapil Dev of all charges due to a lack of substantial evidence.
Throughout the 1980s, Indian cricket was reportedly heavily divided into two factions - one backing the classical, conservative batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar, and the other backing the explosive, flamboyant Kapil Dev. BCCI frequently rotated the national captaincy back and forth between the two stalwarts, which naturally strained their personal and professional dynamic.
While both legends maintained mutual respect on the surface, the dressing room atmosphere remained highly tense during transition phases, establishing one of the most talked-about player rivalries in Indian sports history.
The friction between Gavaskar and Kapil reached a boiling point during England's 1984-85 tour of India. During the second Test match in Delhi, Kapil played a highly aggressive, rash stroke to get dismissed, a move that critics believed triggered a dramatic Indian batting collapse and handed England the victory.
In an unprecedented move, Kapil was completely axed from the playing XI for the subsequent third Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The public was furious. Angry fans heavily targeted skipper Sunil Gavaskar, chanting "No Kapil, No Test!" and throwing vegetables at the captain. Gavaskar later clarified that he did not actively propose axing Kapil, pointing the blame entirely toward the selection committee led by Chandu Borde.
