Kapil Dev and Anju Bobby George explain how better infrastructure and scientific support can help India bring medals in hockey, athletics and several other sports

Kapil Dev is widely known for his cricketing exploits. The man who led India to their first Cricket World Cup back in 1983. But the Haryana Hurricane is equally adept in knowledge about hockey. He grew up in circumstances where both cricket and hockey were equally given importance. However, with the advancement of cricket and with the Indian team winning the World Cup, the sport soon became the primary sport in India.

But Kapil Dev feels that cricket has improved with development in infrastructure and he feels similar developments are needed in Hockey as well for India to win more Olympic medals in the future. He feels providing facilities to the players will only hone their skills and make them ready for the big stages.

“We as a country need to give the infrastructure first. If we have it, the kids will be free to choose any sport they want,” Kapil said. “Cricket has reached new heights as a result of enhanced facilities. However, if we do the same thing in other sports, such as having 200 extra Astro turfs, India will win more Olympic medals in hockey than any other country,” the former India captain stated.

The World Cup-winning captain was speaking at an ABP Network session titled, ‘We Are The Champions: Patience, Perseverance, Practice’. He was in a panel that had Anju Bobby George, former hockey captain Zafar Iqbal and 18-time Grand Slam winner Leander Paes. Kapil Dev spoke on changing mentality and  promotion of all kinds of sports as he added, “The most important thing I’ll say is that what I have seen in the last 40 years is that today the parents bring their kids on the ground and say ‘make them a player’.” “In our time, no parents got time to bring their kids to the ground. Today, they come to us and ask whether they can play IPL or if they can play for India?”

Former Olympian Anju Bobby George highlighted how the support must come from home first as parents must back their kids and after that professional coaches can help them. Speaking on lack of scientific support, she shared, “If the parent is not ready to send their kids how we can support them. So, it should come from the parents first, and then scientifically we have to look at that kid. First, there is a coach’s eye, so we can see and we can tell if he is talented or not. Then we have to scientifically test them and then we need to identify in which event they are good enough.”

Anju Bobby George has massively helped athlete all over the country and has made them world-beaters from a very young age. The former World Championship medallist in long jump shared how she is expecting more medals for India in the upcoming Olympics. “My academy, Anju Bobby Sports, is nurturing 16 kids, including Shaili Singh, who is currently ranked second in the world at the junior level.

“So, in 2024 or 2028, I’m expecting one of my students to have a podium finish. I’m still chasing my dream. Our female athletes, I feel, are excellent fighters, and we can expect more athletic medals from them,” she concluded.