‘Taking Your Wives…’ Kapil Dev Slams Indian Team Over WAGS Travel

Aakash Saini

Kapil Dev and Anushka Sharma [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x]Kapil Dev and Anushka Sharma [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x]

Kapil Dev has backed the idea of wives and girlfriends of Indian cricketers accompanying the players on overseas tours. However, the former Indian captain also stated that there should be a duration limit to their stay, and the team should eventually travel together in a bid to strengthen its bond.

Kapil Dev gives his take on WAGS accompanying players on tours

Kapil Dev believes there is nothing wrong with wives and girlfriends (WAGS) of cricketers accompanying them during India’s tours in overseas countries. However, the 1983 World Cup winning skipper added that the WAGS should not allowed to accompany the players during the first 20 days in case of a month-long tour.

While speaking on the YouTube channel of Cricket Adda, Kapil Dev said:

“Taking your wives on tours is not wrong, but I feel that if the tour is one month, they should not be allowed for the first 20 days so that the players can play together as a team.”

Furthermore, Kapil Dev added that in case of a multi-month campaign, players should be left alone with the team, and signified the importance of cricket teams travelling together as it is “not an individual sport”. He added:

“Similarly, for a three-month campaign, at least for a month, players should be left alone with the team. Also, teams should travel together. This is not an individual sport.”

The accompaniments of WAGS travelling with cricket players became a huge talking point especially after Team India’s humiliating 1-3 Test series defeat to Australia between November and January.

Following India’s Test debacle, which also included a 0-3 larruping at the hands of New Zealand at home a few months ago, the BCCI imposed several strict policies over the Indian team, with one of them being the restriction on WAGS accompanying the travelling players.