Did Kapil Dev hit a ball across a river into someone's car?

Question

Is it true that, in an 80s tour match against Tasmania, Kapil Dev hit the ball from York Park across the North Esk River and into a Kmart car park, hitting someone’s windshield? I looked for an article on this after my father mentioned it, but I couldn’t find anything.

Answer 1

This doesn't seem to be possible. India made two tours of Australia in the 1980s:

• 1980-81
• 1985-86

On these tours, three matches were played in Tasmania:

• A first class match from 11-13 December 1980; Kapil Dev did not play in this match.
• A one day match on 14 December 1980; Kapil Dev did play in this match, but it was at the NTCA Ground which is not next to the river. Kapil Dev did hit a six in this match, so possibly there is some exaggeration of the story happening.
• A first class match from 20-23 December 1985; this match was abandoned without a ball bowled.

For completeness, I also looked at India's 1991-92 tour of Australia; the only match played in Tasmania was the ODI against Australia in which Kapil Dev did play but no sixes were hit.