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Key Points

Kapil Dev emphasizes that athletes must prepare for life beyond their playing years, which typically end between 30-40. He advises young players to constantly learn from everyone around them, including captains and sponsors. The cricket legend stresses the importance of building genuine relationships rather than just transactional ones. He also highlights that differences of opinion in teams are healthy and shouldn't affect personal respect among players.

Key Points: Kapil Dev Advises Young Athletes Plan Life Beyond Sports

  • Athletes should plan for 40+ years after sports career ends
  • Learn from captains and teammates for future leadership roles
  • Build genuine friendships with sponsors beyond financial gain
  • Maintain respect despite differences of opinion in team environments
3 min read

Start planning beyond active sports life: Kapil Dev's advice to young athletes

Cricket legend Kapil Dev urges athletes to prepare for life after sports, emphasizing learning from teammates and building lasting relationships beyond the game.

"One's cricket life usually gets over between 30 and 40. But beyond that, you still have another 40 years of life - Kapil Dev"

New Delhi, Sep 13

Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev on Saturday said that all athletes must try to focus on other avenues while continuing their sporting journeys to prepare themselves for the future.

Addressing the panel titled ' Leadership & Life Beyond the Pitch ' at PlayCom 2025: Business of Sports Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the 1983 Men’s ODI World Cup-winning captain also added that all athletes should continue to learn from everyone in the dressing room and beyond.

"One’s cricket life, or any sports life, usually gets over between 30 and 40. But beyond that, you still have another 40 years of life. So, how does a sportsman plan beyond his active sports life? That is the most important thing, in my opinion," Kapil Dev said.

"When you are a star, everything is in front of you. But you will not know what to do when your time is over. That's why I say to every sportsman, try to move on in life and plan for the future. If you stay there, then your growth will end," he further added.

Dev recalled advice given to him earlier in his playing days by one of his seniors.

"A very simple thing somebody said to me when I started playing cricket - 'Kapil, you know, if you want to be successful in life, keep your eyes and ears open while sleeping also'. This is what we must remember. Your job, today as a player, is to see what your captain is doing right or wrong. One day, you may be the captain. So, take the good point from your captain and leave the bad point," he said.

"But keep your eyes and ears open. So, when you are playing cricket or any other sport, make a friend. Whatever sponsors you meet, don't just make money from them. Don't look to extract juice from them. Be friends. They can help you throughout your life," he further advised.

Kapil further stressed that athletes should not take differences of opinion on the field personally and voice their opinions for the improvement of the team.

"On the ground, or in a cricket team, or even in the corporate world, you can have a different opinion. That is very good for the game. But a difference of opinion does not mean you do not like the other person. It is most important to understand," he said.

"My style was not like Sunil Gavaskar's. He was different, I was different. He started his game during a different era. I started in a different era. So, our thought processes were different. Any discussions we had were not a fight. Today, also, if Gavaskar comes, after 40 years, I'll give my chair. I respect him as the senior. And I think he was one of the finest cricketers we played with," he signed off.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
"Keep your eyes and ears open while sleeping also" - what a brilliant piece of advice! This applies to every profession, not just sports. Learning from Kapil paaji's wisdom is always valuable.
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Michael C
As someone working in sports management, I completely agree. Indian sports bodies need to implement better career transition programs for athletes. The mental health aspect of retirement is often overlooked.
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Ananya R
His point about building genuine relationships with sponsors instead of just taking money is so important. In India, we often focus only on immediate gains rather than long-term connections. 🤝
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Sarah B
While I appreciate the advice, I wish he had given more concrete examples of what athletes can actually do post-retirement. Commentary and coaching can't absorb all retired players. We need more diverse pathways.
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Vikram M
The respect he shows for Gavaskar even after 40 years is what makes our cricket culture special. In today's IPL era, we need to preserve these values of respecting seniors and handling differences professionally.

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