Yograj Singh, the former Indian cricketer and ace batter Yuvraj Singh’s father, is known for speaking his heart out. Having made several sensational remarks over the years on his differences with ex-Indian captain MS Dhoni, Yograj narrated a story when he wanted to kill a World Cup-winning Indian skipper - not MS Dhoni but Kapil Dev. Yograj admitted he once went to Kapil Dev’s house with a pistol to shoot him but never did that.
Yograj, who played one Test and six ODIs (during the early 80s) before the former India skipper Kapil Dev dropped him, explained why he spared Kapil’s life.
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In a candid chat on Unfiltered by Samdish, Yograj revealed when Kapil became the captain (for India, North Zone and Haryana), he dropped him for no reason, and after Yograj’s wife (Yuvraj’s mother) said she wanted to confront Kapil over the same, Yograj decided to teach him a lesson.
“When Kapil Dev became captain of India, North Zone, and Haryana, he dropped me for no reason,” Yograj said on the popular YouTube show.
“My wife wanted me to ask Kapil questions. I told her that I would teach this bloody man a lesson.
“I took my pistol out, and I went to Kapil’s house in Sector 9. He came out with his mother. I abused him a dozen times. I told him because of you, I have lost a friend, and what you have done, you will pay for it,” he continued.
Yograj added he told Kapil that because of his mother, whom he respected, he will not shoot him, asking Shabnam (Yograj’s wife) to leave.
“I told him, ‘I want to put a bullet through your head, but I am not doing it because you have a very pious mother who is standing here.’ I told Shabnam, ‘Let’s go.’ “That was the moment I decided I would not play cricket, Yuvi will play,” he added.
When Kapil apologised to Yograj
Revealing his chat with the former India all-rounder after the MS Dhoni-led Indian Team won the 2011 ODI World Cup, Yograj said Kapil was the only man crying that day. Yograj added that he sent Kapil a paper cutting of his son (who was the Player of the tournament) doing better than him, to which Kapil even replied, ‘We both will be brothers in the next life.’
“In 2011, when India won the World Cup, there was only one guy who was crying, and it was Kapil Dev,” Yograj said. “I did send him a paper cutting that my son did better than you in the World Cup.”
“Kapil sent me a WhatsApp text saying we will be brothers in the next life. We will be born from the same mother in the next life. He wanted to meet me. But there is a vengeance, and it still hurts.”
(With inputs from agencies)