On Monday, Kapil Dev who debuted in international cricket in 1978, turned 61 years old. Fans from around the world took to social media to give their best wishes on Twitter and Instagram for the captain under whom India won its first ever World Cup in Cricket in 1983.
😍🎂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARYANA HURRICANE! Here's wishing all the very best on his 61st birthday to India's first World-Cup winning captain and one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, @therealkapildev #happybirthday #kapildev #bharatarmy #teamindia #COTI #indiancricket pic.twitter.com/YajB5irjy0
— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) January 6, 2020
Happy birthday #KapilDev - the man who made us believe in ourselves & aspire BIG.
— Sabyasachi Dutta (@sabyasachidutta) January 6, 2020
Won 1983 cricket #WorldCup when no one gave us a chance.
Here's a vintage BSA SLR bicycle ad. Narrative is - taxi conks off, he borrows a 'bike', reaches airport in time, delivers a MoM performance. pic.twitter.com/zgqhBfREI2
Happy Birthday Sir, Stay Happy & healthy.#KapilDev pic.twitter.com/5ru7scZzKw
— Chowkidar Sasanka Mishra (@Sasanka61345014) January 6, 2020
Wish my childhood and evergreen hero @therealkapildev a very #HappyBirthday #KapilDev pic.twitter.com/4DoFN1w5SJ
— Rama Suganthan (வாழப்பாடி இராம சுகந்தன்) (@vazhapadi) January 6, 2020
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, who recently wrapped-up the shooting of his upcoming movie – ’83, which is a biopic based on Dev’s journey through the 1983 World Cup also wished him a very happy birthday.
Born in India's Chandigarh, Dev is regarded as the greatest pace bowler in Indian cricket. He is the only cricketer to have secured over 5,000 runs with more than 400 wickets in international Test cricket.
The former Indian captain was previously voted as “India’s Cricketer of the Century”.
In 1994, Dev retired from his cricketing career holding the world record for bowling out the greatest number of wickets until the year 2000.
After retirement, Dev also coached the Indian cricket team for 10 months in 1999-2000. However, in 1999 another Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar accused Dev of indulging in match-fixing practices. In a face-to-face interview with BBC at the time, Dev wept bitterly at being questioned about his alleged involvement in match-fixing practices.
After inquiries led by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax office, Dev was cleared of all charges.
Later, in 2008, Dev joined the Indian Territorial Army, a second line of defence after the regular army as an honorary Lieutenant Colonel.
