Cricket gave me a life, but you have to move on: Kapil Dev

At the Dr Vece Paes Cup in Kolkata, Kapil Dev was exactly as you’d expect - candid, grounded, and refreshingly uncomplicated. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the cricket legend reflected on Kolkata’s unique sporting spirit, the Paes family’s legacy, and why, despite everything the game has given him, life is ultimately about moving on.

On Kolkata, its people and the Paes family

“I think what draws me here are the wonderful people. In India, every part is different, and Bengalis are very, very different people. You can see the happiness on everybody’s face -they don’t crib so much, and I really like that. As for the Paes family, they’ve given so much to society. I may not have known Dr Paes that closely, but I’ve followed Leander more. I know his father played hockey and did very well. I’m here for him, for his father, it’s wonderful to be part of something like this.”




On advice, team spirit and the current Indian team

“I’m not big enough to give advice to anyone. Just go out there, express yourself and enjoy yourself, that’s more important than anything else. Cricket is a team game. When you win a tournament, you have to respect everybody. It’s not correct to talk about just one player. Yes, someone like Sanju Samson may have played superbly, but so did others, you name it. Everyone was there when it was required. I think the Indian team is doing well, and that’s the most important thing. They’re playing well, enjoying themselves, and the infrastructure today has improved 1000 per cent. That’s a wonderful sign for the future.”

On his career, giving back and life beyond cricket

“If I tell you to look back at your school days, you’ll remember them fondly, you’ll enjoy those memories, but you move on. That’s how I see my career. I had a wonderful time. God has been kind. Cricket allowed me to travel around the world, to see different places and understand people. If I hadn’t played cricket, I would only have known where I was brought up. Today, I’m glad I’ve seen the world because of the game, cricket has given me a life. As for giving back, I don’t think like that. Not everyone has to do the same thing. There are people in the system , the cricket board, selectors, coaches, who are doing that job, and I admire them for it. I’m just enjoying myself now, living my life.”

On moving on, formats and what cricket means today

“I don’t miss cricket. Why should I miss it? You move on in life. If you keep missing something, it means you haven’t moved on. It’s like school, you may miss it, but you don’t want to go back. Even now, every day I wake up and think about what more I can do in life. Golf is part of it, but life is bigger than just one thing. As for formats, I just like cricket, that’s more important than whether it’s T20, Tests or anything else. Cricket has given me everything, a life, a way of thinking. But it was everything to me then. Now, life is bigger than just that. I just like to watch and enjoy what people are doing in the game today. that’s enough for me.”Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”