Former India captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev has shared his thoughts when asked whether his 1983 World Cup-winning team can stand tall to India’s recent 2025 Asia Cup-winning team if the two sides clashed in T20s.

This question was asked by journalist Rajdeep Sardesai for Sports Today: ‘Could the 1983 World Cup champs have beaten India’s 2025 Asia Cup winners at T20?’

Kapil displayed his crystal-clear thinking that helped him guide India to the 1983 upset win over the West Indies.

“Very difficult to say. They can beat us because they know how to play T20. We didn’t know. Even 10 years back, people didn’t know how to play (this brand of) T20. Now a 150-mile (kph) ball is coming, and they (Indian batters) are sweeping as if they are playing an off-spinner or leg-spinner. You can’t compare two eras. But I’d say they are far better. Unbelievable. They are far better than what our team (India T20 side) was even five years ago,” Kapil told Sports Today.

When goaded by Sardesai to answer if he would slot into any T20 side easily, Kapil said, “I’m not playing now. What difference does it make today?”

When asked if any Indian star had impressed him, he wisely stated that he would wait a few years before labeling Abhishek Sharma (or any batsman) a star.

“Most players did their job well. Abhishek has become a household name. But give this young boy a couple of years, and the opposition will start understanding his way of playing. Any new bowler who comes out like Bumrah has to tackle other people. Or Malinga. Any new player's first season is very good, and the second season also. By the third season, if they are playing well, you will say, ‘Yes! I think he has special talent,” he said.

However, Kapil Dev mentioned Tilak Varma as one batter who has impressed him with his temperament. Varma made 69* in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, rescuing India from 20/3 and taking them to victory by 5 wickets in Dubai.

“But what Tilak played yesterday was fabulous. Maturity was unparalleled. These boys know how to win matches. They don’t get into panic mode where they start going wild. They know they can get 30 plus in the last 3 overs. They will get it easily. Not even once did I get the impression that they are shaken up or (needed to worry about) what will happen,” he told Sports Today.

Kapil Dev also said that Pakistan cricket has seen better days and doesn’t have the kind of talent now that they had in yesteryears.

“Pakistan doesn’t have similar talent like what they used to have in the 80s or 90s or before that. Pakistan has given the world the best cricketers—Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis. But unfortunately, we can’t see even 1 percent of the talent of what they used to have,” he said.

Pakistan recently suffered three defeats at the hands of the Indian team in the Asia Cup 2025, including in the final.