“People say there’s pressure in IPL, I would say don’t play”- Kapil Dev’s remark triggers debate; says he can’t understand ‘American words’ like pressure or depression

“People say there’s pressure in IPL, I would say don’t play”- Kapil Dev’s remark triggers debate; says he can’t understand ‘American words’ like pressure or depression

Kapil Dev

The legendary Kapil Dev’s recent remarks have sparked debate in the cricket fraternity. He gave an example of his own time to compare how cricket was enjoyed back in those days versus how the sport has become a pressure for today’s cricketers.

After the advent of the T20 format, the sport has changed drastically and so does the playing strategies. The fast-paced T20 cricket demands a lot from the players. Then there is franchise-based cricket, leading to a hectic schedule. The high-profile Indian Premier League thrusts a lot of pressure on the players to perform well.

Kapil Dev’s remarks have understandably sparked debate knowing how today’s players are dealing with mental health conditions. Ben Stokes recently bid adieu to ODI cricket blaming a crammed-up schedule that has been affecting his mental health. Virat Kohli also spoke about his suffering from mental health issues, the reason behind his not scoring runs for the team. Players are now retiring from one or two formats. 

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“I had a passion to play…if you are passionate, there shouldn’t be any pressure”- Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev

Speaking as a guest in an educational program ‘Champions of Aakash 2022’, Kapil Dev compared his playing days to that of modern-day players.

“I had a passion to play. That was the difference. I would change the subject slightly. I hear a lot on TV these days. People say ‘there’s pressure, we play IPL, there’s a lot of pressure. I only say one thing, ‘don’t play’. What is this pressure? If you are passionate, there shouldn’t be any pressure,” he said in the program.

“These ‘American words’ have come, be it pressure or depression. I don’t understand this. I am a farmer. That’s where I have come from. We played for enjoyment and where there’s enjoyment, there can’t be pressure,”he further said.

Watch the video:

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