Cricket great Kapil Dev becomes new India golf chief

India’s World Cup-winning cricket captain Kapil Dev has been appointed president of the Professional Golf Tour of India.

The switch in sports will enable Dev’s “valuable experience as a professional sportsman” to drive “the further growth of Indian professional golf,” said PGTI chief executive, Uttam Singh Mundy.

Dev, 65, was one of the world greatest all-rounders who led India to their first World Cup triumph in 1983 and ended his glittering career in 1994 with 434 Test wickets and 5,248 runs.

The World Cup final upset victory at Lord’s against the West Indies triggered a cricket revolution in India.

He later focused on golf and welcomed the post as it would enable him to “spend more time with my golfing friends and play a little more”.