JOIN USTelecom operator Vodafone and Star India today announced a tie-up through which the broadcaster's sports telecasts can be viewed on mobile phones, which was welcomed by former India captains Kapil Dev and Sourav Ganguly here.
Kapil Dev, who led India to their first World Cup title in 1983, wished this sort of cutting edge technology was available when he was playing.
"Technology has gone way beyond my imagination. When I was playing cricket I never thought a situation would be such that we will actually witness what we used to see in America or Europe, where advanced technology was there," he said at the media conference to announce the tie-up.
Ganguly remembered the 1983 World Cup league match between India and Zimbabwe, in which Kapil made a glorious, unbeaten 175 to rescue his team from dire straits, and said he was listening to the match commentary on the radio.
"I remember the 1983 World Cup. I remember the day when you got those runs. I was hearing it on the radio on the top of my roof and I was flying the kite. I believe BBC was shut on that particular day (because of a strike by the employees).
"I have seen both these eras and I was a bit fortunate to play in an era where television had come in and television was slowly getting bigger from 1996 and Star was involved in the cricket even when I started being the captain," Ganguly said.
The former captain said it was good to see age group cricket being televised as most of the modern day cricketers have emerged from these competitions.
"That is where everything starts. Virat Kohli was the under-19 captain about five-six years ago and he is one of your stars. It is the age group cricket and everyone has played and come through the ranks. It is great to see that they are recognised," he said.
Ganguly said though he was keen to go to Brazil and watch the football World Cup this year, he would be unable to do so as the mega event clashed with India's tour of England and he intended to watch the football action on his cell phone.
"The World Cup football is coming in the month of July and I was actually supposed to go to watch it, but unfortunately India play their first Test in Trent Bridge," said the cricketer-turned commentator.