New Delhi: Former skipper Kapil Dev has said that Team India will be playing under tremendous home pressure during the World Cup.
Speaking at the inaugural Raj Singh Dungarpur World Cricket Summit at a five-star hotel in Delhi, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain fell short of saying India will find it very difficult to win February's ICC World Cup despite being touted as favourites.
Kapil agreed with former Australia captain and coach, Bob Simpson who stressed that no home team has won the World Cup ever since it came into existence in 1975.
"There is immense home pressure because players are committed not only to their team but even to sponsors and then there is the media. Everyone wants a piece of the meat," said Kapil.
He was at pains to emphasise on media pressure. "I have heard some great players like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar say that they never read the newspapers, but there are these little issues which players get to hear about and these things affect players.
"Media in this country is sensational, emotional. We have not reached a stage where we have a mature media and our cricketers have to learn to handle that. I am not saying media should not be sensational, but our players are not matured to absorb that pressure."
Kapil spoke also about on-field matters. He attributed the lack of swing bowlers to limited overs cricket. "In the 1980s we had the bowlers to make batsmen dance."
It was no surprise to hear him talk about his pet requisite to sporting success: Enjoyment.
And his message to Dhoni's Cup-seeking men: "Go and enjoy. When you enjoy yourself, your performance will be different."
