Sunil Gavaskar on facing 150 kmph without a helmet on Kapil Show Season 5
Synopsis
Sunil Gavaskar's self-deprecating joke about facing 150 kmph deliveries without a helmet — 'Andar bheje mein kuch nahi tha' — became the standout moment of The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5, joined by Ravi Shastri making his show debut and Sunil Grover's scene-stealing appearance dressed as Kapil Dev.
Key Takeaways
Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri appear on The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5 , with Shastri making his debut on the comedy talk show.
Gavaskar joked about facing deliveries at nearly 150 kmph without a helmet, quipping 'Andar bheje mein kuch nahi tha.' Navjot Singh Sidhu recounted a hilarious locker-room story about being selected for India at 18 and sharing a room with then-captain Ravi Shastri .
Gavaskar opened up about his decision to retire from international cricket at the age of 38 .
Comedian Sunil Grover made a special appearance dressed as all-rounder Kapil Dev , drawing big laughs from the studio audience.
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar relived his fearless era of batting without a helmet against the world's fastest bowlers as he appeared on The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5, airing in October 2026. Joining him was former India captain and commentator Ravi Shastri, making his debut on the popular comedy talk show hosted by Kapil Sharma.
The Helmet-Free Era: Gavaskar's Fearless Confession
Host Kapil Sharma set the nostalgic tone by showing photographs of the formidable West Indies pace attack, prompting Gavaskar to recall facing deliveries clocking close to 150 kmph without any head protection. With characteristic wit, the batting icon joked, 'Andar bheje mein kuch nahi tha' — drawing loud laughter from the studio audience. The remark was a self-deprecating nod to the sheer bravado required to face the likes of those fearsome fast bowlers with minimal protective equipment.
Gavaskar reflected on what it meant to represent India during that era — a time when pulling on the national jersey was considered a rare honour, and cricketers routinely walked out to face some of the most intimidating pace attacks in history without the helmets, arm guards, and chest protectors that are now standard issue.
Shastri's Debut and Sidhu's Hilarious Room Story
The episode also featured a candid conversation about the early career of Navjot Singh Sidhu, who recalled being selected for the Indian team at the age of 18. Sidhu described sharing a room with then-captain Ravi Shastri and recounted an unexpected — and now hilarious — encounter in which Shastri's repeated requests for him to step out of the room led to a memorable locker-room anecdote that had both guests and the live audience in stitches.
Gavaskar on His Retirement at 38
The veteran batter also opened up about his decision to retire from international cricket at the age of 38, offering a rare personal insight into the mindset behind one of Indian cricket's most defining transitions. The conversation shed light on how players of that generation weighed legacy against longevity — a contrast that resonates sharply with today's athlete-management culture.
IPL's Transformation of Indian Cricket
The three former cricketers discussed how dramatically the game has evolved, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) emerging as the centrepiece of that change. Sidhu recalled how Indian summers once meant touring England to play cricket, while the IPL has since inverted that calendar — drawing players and teams from across the world to India for roughly two months of high-octane competition every year.
Sunil Grover as Kapil Dev Steals the Show
Comedian Sunil Grover made a special appearance on the episode, dressed as legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev. Standing behind Ravi Shastri, Grover quipped: 'Kaafi confusion hai, Ravi ji ke aage ek Kapil Sunil aur Ravi ji ke peeche Kapil Sunil, teetar vaali baat hogayi na yeh' — a line that left guests and the audience in splits. The cameo added a fittingly absurd, cricket-flavoured flourish to an already nostalgia-rich episode.
The episode is set to air as part of Season 5 of The Great Indian Kapil Show, continuing the franchise's blend of celebrity candour and comedy.
Point of View
Funny, and candid in ways a press conference never allows. Gavaskar's helmet quip is a reminder of how normalised extraordinary courage was in that West Indies era, a context today's audiences, raised on T20 bravado, rarely get. The Sidhu-Shastri room story is the kind of cricket folklore that disappears if it isn't captured on platforms like this. The show's real value isn't comedy — it's oral history, packaged as entertainment.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sunil Gavaskar say about facing 150 kmph deliveries without a helmet?
Gavaskar joked that facing deliveries at nearly 150 kmph without head protection was possible because, in his words, 'Andar bheje mein kuch nahi tha.' He was reflecting on an era when helmets were not in use and cricketers routinely faced the fearsome West Indies pace attack without modern protective gear.
Who appeared on The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5 cricket episode?
Cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, and Navjot Singh Sidhu appeared on the episode. Comedian Sunil Grover also made a special appearance dressed as all-rounder Kapil Dev.
What was Navjot Singh Sidhu's story about Ravi Shastri on the show?
Sidhu recalled being selected for India at 18 and sharing a room with then-captain Ravi Shastri. Shastri's repeated requests for him to leave the room led to a humorous locker-room anecdote that became one of the episode's highlights.
What did Sunil Grover do on The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5?
Comedian Sunil Grover made a cameo dressed as legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev. Standing behind Ravi Shastri, he quipped about the confusion of having multiple 'Kapils' and 'Sunils' on stage, drawing laughter from both the guests and the audience.
Why did Sunil Gavaskar retire at 38?
Gavaskar opened up about his retirement from international cricket at the age of 38 during the show, offering a personal glimpse into the thinking behind the decision, though the full details remain part of the episode's narrative rather than a single stated reason.
