New Delhi, Sep 13 : Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev on Saturday said that all athletes must try to focus on other avenues while continuing their sporting journeys to prepare themselves for the future.

Addressing the panel titled ' Leadership & Life Beyond the Pitch ' at PlayCom 2025: Business of Sports Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the 1983 Men's ODI World Cup-winning captain also added that all athletes should continue to learn from everyone in the dressing room and beyond.

"One's cricket life, or any sports life, usually gets over between 30 and 40. But beyond that, you still have another 40 years of life. So, how does a sportsman plan beyond his active sports life? That is the most important thing, in my opinion," Kapil Dev said.

"When you are a star, everything is in front of you. But you will not know what to do when your time is over. That's why I say to every sportsman, try to move on in life and plan for the future. If you stay there, then your growth will end," he further added.

Dev recalled advice given to him earlier in his playing days by one of his seniors.

"A very simple thing somebody said to me when I started playing cricket - 'Kapil, you know, if you want to be successful in life, keep your eyes and ears open while sleeping also'. This is what we must remember. Your job, today as a player, is to see what your captain is doing right or wrong. One day, you may be the captain. So, take the good point from your captain and leave the bad point," he said.

"But keep your eyes and ears open. So, when you are playing cricket or any other sport, make a friend. Whatever sponsors you meet, don't just make money from them. Don't look to extract juice from them. Be friends. They can help you throughout your life," he further advised.

Kapil further stressed that athletes should not take differences of opinion on the field personally and voice their opinions for the improvement of the team.

"On the ground, or in a cricket team, or even in the corporate world, you can have a different opinion. That is very good for the game. But a difference of opinion does not mean you do not like the other person. It is most important to understand," he said.

"My style was not like Sunil Gavaskar's. He was different, I was different. He started his game during a different era. I started in a different era. So, our thought processes were different. Any discussions we had were not a fight. Today, also, if Gavaskar comes, after 40 years, I'll give my chair. I respect him as the senior. And I think he was one of the finest cricketers we played with," he signed off.

/IANS