From World Cup dream to BCCI vision: Kapil Dev proposes elite cricket hub

He is known for his out-of-the-box ideas, and that is why he is called Kapil Dev. When no one even thought India could win the World Cup, he planned for it and executed it. This is a story of self-belief — whatever he says, he means from the bottom of his heart.

After once suggesting to the BCCI that it should have its own air service, the first World Cup-winning captain has now recommended that the board build its own clubhouse-cum-office anywhere in India. The facility, he believes, should cater to cricketers of both the past and present, and resemble the finest club in the country.

“Like the ICC headquarter, the BCCI should also have a clubhouse of its own. Why should the board pay hefty five-star hotel bills for meetings? There should be a common meeting point for all cricketers,” Kapil Dev exclusively told CricBlogger on Thursday.

The former all-rounder also suggested that the clubhouse should have accommodation facilities and that every cricketer should have access to its membership.

“Even selection meetings can happen there, and the BCCI has the money to come up with such a plan,” Kapil Dev said, while adding that any major city could be chosen to implement the idea.

When asked which cities could be in the race, Kapil Dev said: “It could be in Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Mumbai — anywhere.”

The current BCCI office is located inside the premises of the Mumbai Cricket Association at Wankhede Stadium. It primarily has rooms meant for administrative work, but Kapil Dev is suggesting a much larger hub that reflects the entire journey of Indian cricket.

“There could be a museum inside. Former and current cricketers can come and go. It’s a much-needed project,” Kapil added.

With the BCCI making a killing from the IPL and turning Indian cricket into arguably the most powerful force in the game, an initiative of this magnitude will only strengthen the connect with cricket for the world to see.