Starstruck: How Kapil Dev taught me to speak from the heart — Vikram Sathaye

Much before 'Captain Cool' MS Dhoni, it was Kapil Dev who was the heartland hero of India - Vikram Sathaye learns how is it that Kapil Dev won people over.

Update: 2021-12-24 10:07 GMT

Kapil Dev's bowling action (left) and Vikram Sathaye with Kapil Dev

This is the story of my first cricketing hero. I met Kapil Dev as a school kid when my Dad introduced me to him in a domestic match he was playing in Delhi.

This was in 1980. I think I imitated his bowling action in front of him.

He immediately had a smile on his face and that made my day, I was simply on cloud nine.

As destiny would have it, 24 years later I was in South Africa as a cricket humorist for the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

We became friends instantaneously as I again imitated him this time, Kapil Paaji had a hearty laugh.

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He said he never noticed his mannerisms till I displayed them in front of him.

Much before Dhoni, Kapil Dev was the first heartland hero of India. Dhoni was still fairly educated & had the suaveness of urban youth.

I remember Kapil Paaji telling me then that he hated being judged as a youngster because of his inability to speak English.

However he made peace with the fact and said to himself, my English will never be like the British but one thing I can do is speak from the heart.

He said, if people have a smile on their faces because of my mannerisms means I am doing something right.

Making people happy is a good thing.

Even in his corporate talks, he laughs at himself and that's why he is the darling of the speaking industry. An important lesson to learn, isn't it?

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