Sunil Valson was a part of the Indian squad that won the 1983 World Cup but did not feature in the playing XI in a single game.
Indian cricket team has won the ODI World Cup on two occasions – 1983 and 2011. On both occasions, the BCCI sent a squad of 15 players. In 2011, the team led by MS Dhoni uilised all 15 players. But in 1983, when Kapil’s Devils won India’s first world title, the team used only 14 of their 15 players. There was one man who earned the right to be called a world champion without even playing a single game for India.
The man who was world champion without ever playing for India
Sunil Valson was a fast medium bowler from Delhi, who made his debut in the Ranji Trophy in the late-70s. After some good performances in the 1982-83 season in domestic cricket, Valson was selected in the squad for the World Cup in England. The selectors felt the team needed a backup seamer apart from Kapil Dev, Roger Binny, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, and Madan Lal given the English conditions. However, after these four put up strong performances, none of them could be dropped through the tournament. Add to it the all-round performances of Mohinder Amarnath and Valson was relegatedto watching the entire campaign from the sidelines.
Sunil Valson’s career after the 1983 World Cup
Valson’s misfortune was that India’s next series after the World Cup was at home where India did not require extra seam bowlers and he was not selected in the team. After this, even though Valson continued to play in Ranji Trophy and Deodhar Trophy for Delhi, Valson never came anywhere near national selection. He was just 24. In 1987, Valson shifted to Railways and was part of the team that reached the Ranji Trophy final. This was his final season of professional cricket at the age of 29.
What does Sunil Valson do today?
After retirement from cricket, Sunil Valson worked with the Railways. In 2016, he was appointed the manager of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. In the 2021 Hind film 83, directed by Kabir Khan, Valson was one of the advisors. The film recounted India’s triumph at the 1983 World Cup. Valson was played by actor R Badree in the film.
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 "Sunil Valson at the 1983 World Cup")
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