Shane Warne’s early World Cup exit for failing a drug test is not good for the sport, said India’s Cricketer of the Century, Kapil Dev. ‘‘Warne is such a big player. Naturally, the game suffers a bit because of such controversies,’’ Kapil said, adding that he was surprised by the news breaking just on the eve of their first game in the World Cup.‘‘The World Cup is a very big event and every cricketer loves to be part of it. Therefore, this news comes as a big shock to all of us,’’ Kapil added.‘‘It is not a good example for aspiring young cricketers. I am not going into whether Warne is guilty or not. But such incidents involving big stars affect the game,’’ Kapil said.Kapil, however, praised the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) for ‘‘their bold step’’ in announcing the result of the dope test conducted by them last month. ‘‘They did not wait for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take a decision on the matter,’’ Kapil said.Turning his attention to India’s chances in the mega event, the skipper of the 1983 winning team said: ‘‘We are among the top six teams. Australia may be one of the best teams at the moment but they can also lose. Surprises are what make the game so exciting.’’Kapil Dev doesn’t give too much importance to the current controvery regarding the position master blaster Sachin Tendulkar should bat. ‘‘I don’t really understand why people talk about individuals in a team game. Every player is important. It is up to the team management to decide how each member can be best utilised for the team’s success. That is more important than individuals,’’ he said.‘‘If people think positive, the results will also be positive. That is my message to the Indian team,’’ he said.
