Picture Credit: Twitter
Former all-rounder Kapil Dev is a widely respected figure in the world cricket fraternity. While he led India to their first-ever World Cup triumph in 1983, he finished as one of the greatest all-rounders to have ever played the game. His opinions thus matter as people look up to him as a role model.
However, the sport has changed a lot since Dev's playing days. Not only do the current generation of players have to play all three formats of the game but also there as an Indian Premier League season in the Indian calendar. This essentially means there is hardly any "off-season" which was very much a thing in the days gone by.
But Dev is of the opinion that cricketers should simply not play the IPL if they feel "pressured". He added that if a person has a passion for the sport, then there is no room for pressure.
"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 at the "Champions of Aakash 2022" program, where he was invited as a guest.
"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 added.
While these are the ex-cricketer's personal opinions, netizens seem to be divided on what he said. While some suggest there is indeed some merit to what he spoke about, others feel that Kapil is viewing the sport as it was when he played.
His remark comes at a time when star India batter Virat Kohli has openly talked about issues of mental health and went on a break admitting that he hadn't touched the bat for a month for the first time in all these years.