Gavaskar, Shastri bring cricket nostalgia to The Great Indian Kapil Show

Sunil Gavaskar recalled facing deliveries at nearly 150 kmph without a helmet during his playing days on The Great Indian Kapil Show. Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri also shared cricketing anecdotes, discussed his retirement and reflected on the IPL’s impact

Mumbai: Cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri are set to bring a mix of nostalgia, cricketing anecdotes and plenty of laughter to Kapil Sharma’s The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5.

Ravi Shastri makes his debut on the comedy talk show as he joins Gavaskar for an entertaining conversation with host Kapil Sharma.

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The conversation turned nostalgic when Kapil showed pictures of the formidable West Indies team and asked Sunil Gavaskar how he managed to play against some of the fastest bowlers of his era without wearing a helmet.

Recalling his fearless approach, the legendary cricketer spoke about facing deliveries travelling at nearly 150 kmph and joked, “Andar bheje mein kuch nahi tha.”

The episode also looked back at Sunil Gavaskar’s deep connection with Indian cricket and what it meant for him to represent the country.

The veteran cricketer recalled an era when playing for India was considered an honour and players faced some of the most intimidating fast bowlers without the protective equipment that is commonplace today.

The conversation then moved to the early days of Navjot Singh Sidhu’s career. Sidhu recalled being selected for India at the age of 18 and sharing a room with then-captain Ravi Shastri. His unexpected encounter with Shastri and his repeated requests to step out led to a hilarious locker-room anecdote on the show.

Gavaskar also opened up about his decision to retire from international cricket at the age of 38, offering a glimpse into the thinking behind one of the biggest decisions of his career.

The former cricketers further discussed how the game has changed over the years, particularly with the arrival of the Indian Premier League. Sidhu recalled how summers once involved travelling to England to play cricket, while the IPL has transformed the cricketing calendar by bringing players and teams from across the world to India for two months of intense competition.

Adding to the cricket-themed madness, comedian Sunil Grover makes a special appearance dressed as legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev. Standing behind Ravi Shastri, Grover quips, “Kaafi confusion hai, Ravi ji ke aage ek Kapil Sunil aur Ravi ji ke peeche Kapil Sunil, teetar vaali baat ho gayi na yeh,” leaving both the guests and the audience in splits.