Long time friends rush to Kapil's defence

People close to Kapil Dev Nikhanj in his home town Chandigarh have reacted with shock and dismay to the charge levelled against the former Indian captain and current coach of the national squad by the former President of the Control for Cricket in India that Kapil Dev was the player who had offered money to Manoj Prabhakar to play below par in the Singer Cup Series in Sri Lanka in 1994.

Kapil Dev is originally from Chandigarh where he learnt the fundamentals of the game. He shifted to Delhi, where he now resides, only after quitting cricket. Dronacharya awardee and Kapil Dev's coach Desh Prem Azad, while expressing his reaction stated: ``It is most shocking, Kapil (Kukoo) is not like this. He is like my kids. Nobody can doubt his patriotism. I am sure he will come out of this mess with flying colours. I am not defending Kukoo as his coach. I know him from his childhood. I saw him as a shy child who grew into a mature man. His contribution to the game is tremendous and he is totally dedicated to cricket. How can you expect a man of his calibre to involve himself in a shabby deal which is anti-national?'' said Azad.

"Kapil was an easy going happy young lad during his salad days and he is the same today", Azad remarked and added that Bindra would have to prove the allegation levelled by him against the former Indian captain. Azad was among the persons who had attended the April 27 meeting convened by the Union Sports Minister SS Dhindsa in New Delhi to discuss the match fixing issue.

Former Indian team physio Ravinder Chadha, under whose captaincy Kapil played for Haryana in Ranji Trophy, said: ``It is unbelievable. How he can be involved in match-fixing. Kapil had won so many matches for the country. His contribution is laudable. He had told me that the entire amount of his benefit match would go to the welfare of the Arjuna awardees. If he is contributing in this way, nobody can or should doubt his integrity''.

Surinder Singh, secretary of the Chandigarh Cricket Association, said that the charges made by Bindra could not be true. ``It is a conspiracy to defame a great player who has done so much for Indian cricket," he added.

A close friend and Ranji Trophy player Rakesh Jolly said ``There is no chance of his involvement in the match-fixing charges. I know Kapil for the last 25 years. We have been together as team mates and friends. We have travelled a lot together. We know each other very well. I have never come across any bookie contacting Kapil.'' Terming it as a conspiracy, Jolly, a Customs official, questioned "what was Manoj doing in the last five years. Why was he sleeping over the matter?".

Maintaining that Kapil is a thorough gentleman, Jolly said ``you cannot expect this from him. I am sure he will emerge a clean, strong man of Indian cricket.''