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‘What’d you expect? He will take 10 wickets?': Kapil Dev pummels debutant Anshul Kamboj's critics, blames Gambhir, Gill
Kapil Dev defended Anshul Kamboj after his difficult Test debut, stressing that fans should lower expectations for newcomers.
Legendary India captain Kapil Dev came out in support of young fast bowler Anshul Kamboj, who had a forgettable debut in the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. Kamboj returned figures of 1 for 89 in 18 overs, struggling to make an impact as India fell behind in the crucial Test.
Speaking at the launch of the second-half schedule of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) in his role as its president, Kapil urged fans and critics to temper expectations when judging debutants. India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain, in fact, indirectly put the blame on India head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill for the youngster in the host seat without proper match practice. Kamboj was drafted into the Indian Test squad after Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh were ruled out of the fourth Test with respective injuries.
“What do you expect from a debutant, that he should take 10 wickets?” Kapil said. “You have to assess his potential. If he’s good enough, he will bounce back. Everyone is nervous when playing their first game. The result may not be ideal, but I believe the ability is there, and that’s more important.”
Kamboj’s underwhelming start came in challenging circumstances, with England posting a mammoth total of 669, led by a commanding century from Ben Stokes. India, already trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, now face an uphill battle to avoid a series defeat.
'Give Shubman Gill Time to Grow as Captain'
Kapil also addressed the growing scrutiny surrounding Shubman Gill, who is captaining India in a Test series for the first time. The 25-year-old led India to a remarkable win in Birmingham earlier in the series but now finds himself under pressure after England's dominant showing in Manchester.
“Give him time. This is his first series — he will commit mistakes and there will be many positives over time,” Kapil said. “There is no problem if he is learning. There will be mistakes, but learning from them is what’s important.”
“This is a young team. Any new team takes time to adjust. Gill is a new captain, and I think this series will be a learning step for him.”
Kapil on Bumrah: 'Still Delivering, Hats Off to Him'
Kapil also weighed in on Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, who opted to play only three of the five Tests to manage his workload. Bumrah has had a history of injury concerns due to his unique bowling action.
“Everybody is different. Times have changed, bodies are different,” Kapil noted. “Yes, he is one of our top fast bowlers but his action is so awkward and it is difficult to sustain. We didn’t think he would play this long, but he is still delivering for India — hats off to him.”
