SUMMARY
India's greatest pace bowler and greatest ever all-rounder, Kapil Dev, turns 64 today. Kapil's international career spanned from 1978 to 1994. At the peak of his career, Kapil Dev was one of the best all-rounders of his time. Kapil's all-around skills and daredelivey on the field made him one of the toughest cricketers to ever take the field. Kapil has numerous records and achievements to his name. As the Haryana Hurricane celebrates his birthday, here is a look at some of his greatest records and achievements of his distinguished career.
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Kapil Dev is the first Indian captain to lift a World Cup trophy. Kapil Dev led the Indian team in the 1983 Cricket World Cup hosted by England. India was hardly even given an outside chance to lift the World Cup. But Kapil and his team defied all odds and beat two-time champions the West Indies in the final of the 1983 World Cup played at Lord's. With the win, Kapil became the first Indian captain to lift a World Cup trophy. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 9Kapil Dev's iconic innings of 175 not-out which he scored against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup, is the highest score by a batsman from the no.6 position in the history of ODI cricket. (Image: PA photos)
3 / 9Kapil Dev holds the record of being the Indian bowler with the most Test wickets in a calendar year. In 1983, as a fast bowler, Kapil claimed 75 wickets from 18 matches to create the record. (Image: Reuters)
4 / 9In 1979, Kapil Dev hammered 619 runs and picked 74 wickets in 17 Tests. It made him the first Test cricketer and to date the only player in history to score 600 runs and take 70 wickets in a calendar year. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 9Kapil Dev played his cricket during the time of some of the greatest all-rounders ever witnessed in the sport. His contemporaries were Imran Khan, Ian Botham, and Richard Hadlee. Despite the three great all-rounders and many others who have followed the former Indian captain, Kapil remains the only Test cricketer with the all-rounder's double of 4,000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets. (Image: AP)
6 / 9Kapil Dev once bowled a spell of 9/83 in a Test against the West Indies at Ahmedabad. That spell gives the great all-rounder the record of Best figures in an innings by a captain. (Image: Reuters)
7 / 9Kapil Dev was the first Indian bowler to claim 400 Test wickets. (Image: PA Photos)
8 / 9Kapil Dev scored 3783 runs, picked 253 wickets, and took 71 catches in his ODI career. That puts him in second place, behind Viv Richards, in the list of cricketers who have over 1000 runs, 50 wickets, and 50 catches in ODIs. (Image: PA Photos)
9 / 9In 2009, Kapil Dev, along with Sunil Gavaskar and Bishan Singh Bedi, became the first cricketer to be inducted into the ICC's hall of fame. (Image: ICC)
