Kapil Dev's 432nd Wicket — Past Hadlee, February 1994

Hadlee had been the world's leading Test wicket-taker since 1988 when he passed Ian Botham's record. He retired in July 1990 on 431. Kapil, four years younger and still active, was the obvious successor. The chase had become a national subplot of Indian cricket from 1992.

Kapil entered the 1993-94 home season needing five wickets. He took a few against the West Indies in late 1993 and one in the Lucknow Test against Sri Lanka. The Motera Test began with him on 431 — equal with Hadlee.

Hadlee had retired in 1990 with 431 Test wickets — at the time more than any bowler in history. Kapil Dev, who had begun his Test career in 1978 a few months after Hadlee, was the only man within reach. By the start of the 1993-94 home season Kapil had 426. He took five against the West Indies (one Test) and another against Sri Lanka in the Lucknow Test. Then came Motera. Sri Lanka were batting in their first innings on day two. Kapil was bowling his accustomed line — outswing on a fourth-stump line. In the eighth over of the morning session, he found the edge of Tillakaratne's bat. Manjrekar at first slip held it cleanly. The umpire — Daniel Reddy — raised the finger. The Motera crowd erupted; 432 balloons were released. Kapil was mobbed by his teammates. He retired a few months later in November 1994 with 434 wickets — a record that Courtney Walsh would eventually break in March 2000.

“I bowled the same ball I always bowl. The bat got an edge. The slip caught it. That's all.”

“Records are made to be broken. I'm proud Kapil broke mine.”

Kapil retired ten months later in November 1994 with 434 Test wickets, 5,248 Test runs and a World Cup. His 434 record was broken by Courtney Walsh in March 2000 (Walsh finished on 519). Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne would all eventually pass that mark.