It was an innings that entered Indian cricket legend and changed the world cricketing landscape forever and even inspired a Bollywood film, yet not a single moment is known to exist on film or television.

There was thought to have been a strike that day but the Cricket World Cup was by no means the huge event that it is today and not all the matches were televised in any case.

This was the third tournament and it was still sponsored by the Prudential Assurance, more informally known as the "men from the Pru".

In fact, cricket’s authorities fought shy of the term "World Cup" so the tournament was officially the Prudential Cup.

Only the West Indies had so far lifted the elegant silver trophy, 

Before 1983, India had only recorded one win at previous tournaments and that was against the part-time cricketers of East Africa in 1975.

In 1983, the tournament still had only eight participants but in each group of four, the sides played against one another twice.

India won their opening match against the West Indies at Old Trafford by 34 runs.

It was the first time, the West Indies, winners in 1975 and 1979, had been beaten in any Prudential Cup match.

There was another indication that this tournament might be out of the ordinary as Zimbabwe, then still only a team of part-timers, defeated Australia.

India overcame Zimbabwe at Leicester in their first meeting but then lost to Australia.

India's next match was against the West Indies once again but this time they felt the full force of Viv Richards, who scored 119 in a total of 282 for 9.

Although Mohinder Amarnath scored 80 and helped Dev add 50 for the fifth wicket, the other Indian batsmen crumbled and they were all out for 216 and well beaten.

India then faced Zimbabwe a second time.

The match was played at Tunbridge Wells, a picturesque club ground in Kent, sometimes used for county cricket with the rhododendrons in full bloom.

India chose to bat but when Dev came to the wicket, they were in trouble at 9 for 4.

He was said to have reassured his team mates with the words, "Dont’ worry its not over yet."

Yet the situation soon became even worse when another front line batsman, Yashpal Sharma, was dismissed to make it 17 for 5.

Dev was joined by another all-rounder, Roger Binny, today President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). 

Binny made 22 in 48 balls but when he was dismissed by Zimbabwe’s veteran bowler John Traicos, India were 76 for 6. 

It soon became 78 for 7 with the quick dismissal of Ravi Shastri but Madan Lal, better known as a bowler, stayed with Dev to add 62 priceless runs.

When he was out wicket, keeper Syed Kirmani joined his skipper.

"Listen Kaps, we are in a do-or-die situation," Kirmani told the Indian Express. 

"We just cannot sit and die. 

"You are the best hitter in the Indian team. 

"I will take singles and will give you strike. 

"You will try to hit every delivery."

Dev did not reach his century until the 49th over, but then cut loose 75 runs in the next ten overs.

He was 175 not out at the end and had faced 138 balls, struck 16 fours and six sixes. 

India's total was 266 for 8 after 60 overs.

Sunil Gavaskar, the superstar star opener who had been dismissed for a second ball duck, put Dev's innings into context years later at a celebration organised by the BCCI.

"At Tunbridge Wells we were really down in the dumps and for him to play that kind of innings I don’t think people understand really what an innings that was," Gavaskar recalled.

"But truly that innings was remarkable, because if your top order was not able to lay bat on ball and here comes a man who starts hitting that same ball to the far distance corners of the ground.

"We were just hiding our faces because here was a man who had just shown all of us how we should have batted."

When Zimbabwe batted, they were dismissed for 235 to leave India winners by 31 runs.

"It was from there that the Indian team took off, it was from there that this Indian team started to once again believe in itself," Gavaskar admitted.

Two days later, India beat Australia by 118 runs to qualify for the semi-finals.

Significantly, major contributions were once again made by Madan Lal and Binny who both took four wickets.

In the semi-finals, India beat England by six wickets with over five overs to spare to reach the final for the first time.

"Dev-astation," said one banner in the crowd as the Indian team was dubbed Kapil's "Devils".

Cricket fans and those who write about the game are nothing if not inventive.

Tickets were scarce but there was a large Indian contingent in the crowd at Lord's cricket ground.

For those who could not attend, threats of a television strike had been averted.

The pictures convey something of the excitement of the day.

India batted first but Gavaskar departed for only two runs, caught by wicket keeper Jeffrey Dujon off fast bowler Andy Roberts.

Fellow opener Kris Srikkanth continued in aggressive style before he was out leg before wicket (lbw) to fast bowler Malcolm Marshall for 38. 

Astonishingly, this was the top individual score from either side in the match.

At around the halfway point of India’s 60 over innings, India were still only 90 for 3.

It was perhaps why Dev tried to force the pace against the gentler spin of Larry Gomes.

Huge roars from fans in the Grandstand greeted two boundaries but then he tried to hit down the ground and was caught in the deep.

Kirmani added 22 for the last wicket with Balwinder Sandhu which meant India reached 183, a modest target especially when Richards came to the wicket.

He had, after all scored a brilliant hundred in the 1979 final.

This time, Richards had reached 33 when he tried to pull Indian fast medium bowler Madan Lal.

Dev, who else, ran back and took a magnificent catch in front of the grandstand.

"He’s hit that away to within fifteen yards of the boundary, and the Indian skipper has done a tremendous job there, a marvellous running catch," television commentator Richie Benaud said.

"I think he went too fast, we were happy he was going too fast, we were thinking he can give us a wicket any time if he keeps on playing like that," Dev said later.

The departure prompted a middle order collapse which left the West Indies 76 for 6 after 26 overs.

Dujon and Marshall added 43 before Dujon was dismissed by Amarnath to leave West Indies 119 for seven.

Dev trapped Roberts lbw for 4 but the last pair, fast bowlers Joel Garner and Michael Holding, added 14.

Then Amarnath trapped Holding lbw and West Indies were all out for 140.

His three wickets and 26 runs earned him the Man of the Match award.

"I am very happy at what my team did here today," Dev told BBC Television interviewer Peter West on the balcony at Lord’s.

"We want to come here again next time with the same spirit and we should do as well."

When the players returned home in 1983, it was to a reception with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The wheels of change continued in 1984 when India and Pakistan were chosen to host the 1987 World Cup by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

There was no stopping the popularity of the shorter forms of the game on the sub continent although India did not win the 50-over World Cup again until 2011.

By this time, they had also won the inaugural ICC T20 competition which had taken place in South Africa.

Their triumph was all the more sweeter because they beat Pakistan in the Final.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) was held for the first time the following year and has grown into the financial behemoth of world cricket with many believing it has overtaken even Test cricket in importance.

Yet, the events of 40 years ago have become such a powerful part of the national psyche that Bollywood director Kabir Khan chose to tell the story in a movie entitled simply "83" .

Appropriately, it will be shown "al fresco" at Lord’s cricket ground in July using big screens on the news stands.

Perhaps, someone ought to suggest it is also projected at Tunbridge Wells, amongst the Rhododendrons of course.