1983 World Cup Team India Player List: The Full Squad of Kapil's Devils
Kapil Dev with the 1983 World Cup Trophy (Source: Twitter/@ICC)
June 25, 1983, this date is etched in the memories of the Indian cricket fans. The then underdogs of World Cricket, India defeated the 'Invincible' West Indies in the final of the Cricket World Cup to lift the trophy for the first time.
The iconic Lord's stadium witnessed an unbelievable performance from Kapil Dev's men, that led to the fall of the Titans. In this article we will take a look at the 1983 World Cup team India players list- the men who rewrote the history of a cricket fanatic nation.
Kapil Dev (Captain)
The Indian all-rounder was leading the team in this competition. It has been a common word from his team mates that the zeal and passion within Kapil Dev to win the trophy from the beginning of the tournament drove the whole team to achieve the impossible.
Kapil Dev during his 175* vs Zimbabwe in 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter/@ICC)
It was his knock of 175* against Zimbabwe in a must win game that instilled the belief in the team that they can go ahead and be the World Champions.
During the course of the tournament, Kapil Dev scored 303 runs in 8 matches which was the highest from his team. He scored these runs at a strike rate of 108.99 in the 80's, well that gives you an idea of his batting approach. The skipper also picked up 12 wickets in 8 matches, finishing as the third highest Indian wicket taker in the tournament.
Sunil Gavaskar
Standing in 2023, it is not a difficult task to find a super star in Indian cricket. But if you back to the 80's, there was only one superstar who was adored globally and that was the legend himself, Sunil Gavaskar.
Viv Richards celebrating Sunil Gavaskar's early dismissal in the final of the 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter)
He was one of the senior most members of the team and the onus of opening the innings for the team was upon him. Although he was not at his best with the bat in the tournament, Sunil Gavaskar's presence boosted the team a lot. In the all important final of the tournament, Gavaskar displayed his brilliant slip fielding skills and held onto two important catches.
During the tournament, Gavaskar scored just 59 runs in 6 matches. As mentioned earlier, it was not at all a Gavaskarly show but the presence of an enigma like him always boosted the team's journey towards the trophy.
Mohinder Amarnath
There was Sunil Gavaskar, who did not deliver upto the expectations, and then there was Kapil Dev, who played a sensational knock in a do-or-die match to keep India alive in the tournament. But who was the man to deliver in the two most important matches of the tournament? It was Mohinder Amarnath.
Mohinder Amarnath picking up the last West Indian wicket in the 1983 World Cup Final (Source: Twitter)
'Jimmy' Amarnath picked up two wickets and scored 46 runs in the semi-final against England. But, he did not stop there; in the summit clash against the mighty West Indies, Amarnath picked up three important wickets and scored 26 important runs under pressure. Mention worthy is the fact the Amarnath was the vice-captain of India in this tournament.
Amarnath scored 237 runs in 8 matches during the tournament and picked up eight wickets. He was the man Kapil Dev turned to whenever he needed someone to deliver under pressure.
Kirti Azad
The off-spinner had very little role to play in the tournament. Kirti Azad played in just three matches in the tournament. But in the semifinal against England, Azad picked up the all-important wicket of Sir Ian Botham.
Later after the match, Azad stated that he did not know how that outstanding delivery came out of his hands. However, the turn and the lack of the bounce did Botham in and gave India a great advantage at a crucial juncture in the match.
In the three matches Azad played in the tournament, he picked up just that one wicket. But his lone wicket in the tournament will always be remembered by Indian cricket fans because of the value it added.
Roger Binny
The medium pacer was the biggest asset of the team in the tournament. However, the Indian skipper, Kapil Dev, believed that Roger Binny would be his biggest match-winner in the English conditions.
Roger Binny was the highest wicket-taker for India in the 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter)
Binny provided good movement with the new ball and picked up important early wickets for the team.
In the 1983 World Cup, Binny picked up 18 wickets in eight matches and was the highest wicket-taker for India.
Syed Kirmani (Wicketkeeper)
Syed Kirmani was the wicketkeeper for India in the 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter/@ICC)
Syed Kirmani was the wicketkeeper for Team India during the tournament. He mostly did the job of holding one end while coming out to bat in the lower order.
Kirmani scored 61 runs in 6 innings in the 1983 cricket World Cup.
Madan Lal
Madan Lal was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament for India. But everyone will remember his bowling performance in the final of the tournament.
Madan Lal bowling in the final of the 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter)
In the gold medal match, he turned out to be the showstopper for the Underdogs, snapping three of the most giant wickets of the match - the dangerous Desmond Haynes, Larry Gomes and the most important wicket of all, Sir Vivian Richards.
In the tournament, Lal had 17 wickets under his belt from 8 matches.
Sandip Patil
Sandip Patil played a match winning match in the semi final of the 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter/@CricketopiaCom)
Sandip Patil played a stable hand for the Indian team in the lower order throughout the tournament. But his most significant contribution was in the semi-final against England. After Mohinder Amarnath and Yashpal Sharma stabilised the Indian innings from 50 for two while chasing 214 runs, Sandip Patil came out and played a flamboyant innings. He scored 51 runs off 32 balls and ensured the team suffered no further slip-ups in the chase.
In the eight matches Patil played during the tournament, Patil scored 216 runs at an average of 30.85
Balwinder Sandhu
The prime job of the Indian seamer was to hold one end while the likes of Madan Lal and Roger Binny attacked from the other end. Balwinder Sandhu played his role decently throughout the tournament and was an indispensable part of the bowling attack.
In eight matches of the 1983 World Cup, Sandhu picked up eight wickets while conceding runs at an economy of just 3. 57.
Yashpal Sharma
Yashpal Sharma was one of the key cogs of the Indian batting in the tournament. He played a brilliant knock in India's opening clash against the West Indies, scoring 89 runs off 120 balls and laying the foundation for India's win.
Yashpal Sharma played a vital knock in the semi final of 1983 World Cup (Source: Twitter/@sachin_rt)
He was rested for a couple of matches when Dilip Vengsarkar was drafted into the playing XI. But after Vengsarkar got injured during the second group match against West Indies, the responsibilities on Sharma increased, and he delivered once again in the semi-final. When India was under pressure at 50 for two while chasing 217 runs, Sharma joined hands with Amarnath and stabilised the ship for India, scoring 61 runs off 115 balls.
In the tournament, Sharma scored 240 runs, the second-highest from the Indian team.
Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri was used as the spin-bowling all-rounder by the team management. However, he did not play a significant role for the team in the tournament. Shastri scored 40 runs in the five matches he played and picked up four wickets.
Krishnamachari Srikkanth
It was Sunil Gavaskar who was opening the innings for India. He was a proper representation of an ideal opener in cricket at that time. On the other end was Kirshnamachari Sirkkanth, whose job was to go against the norms and attack the bowlers from the word go.
Krishnamachari Srikkant was the top-scorer for India in the 1983 World Cup Final (Source: Twitter/@cricbuzz)
If the overall tournament is seen, Srikkanth scored only a few runs. But the positive starts that he provided were priceless. Although, his most significant contribution was in the final, where he played against his nature and scored 38 runs off 57 balls, being the top scorer for the team.
In the whole tournament, Srikkanth scored 156 runs from 8 innings at an average of 19.50.
Dilip Vengsarkar
It was India's bad luck that they did not get the services of one of the country's classiest batters throughout the tournament. Dilip Vengsarkar played just two matches in the tournament before being hit by a lethal bouncer by Malcolm Marshall and getting ruled out.
Dilip Vengsarkar was injured during the 2nd group match vs West Indies (Source: Twitter/@CricketopiaCom)
In the match against West Indies, Vengsarkar was stabilising things for the team in a stellar chase of 283 runs. He was batting at 32 and was doing a more than decent job of handling the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. But then Marshall bowled a lethal bouncer, which Vengsarkar failed to avoid, hitting him on his chin. He was ruled out of the tournament, and this reduced India's chances of doing well in the competition to a great extent.
 "Probuddha Bhattacharjee")