You may have the best coaches... but the bat has to talk and the ball has to take wickets Kapil Dev

Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev says the team arriving in England in early July for a nine-week tour must show more individual responsibility.

"I think they have had a rough time in the last year - they've been struggling and the World Cup was very, very bad," former skipper Kapil told the BBC.

He said that the absence of a team coach should not distract them.

"Basically the cricketers have to lift themselves. It's a responsiblity they have. They have to lift the team."

Interview: Former India captain Kapil Dev

Kapil was one of the great all-rounders of the 1980s, with Sir Ian Botham, Sir Richard Hadlee and Imran Khan.

Under his captaincy, they beat West Indies in the World Cup final of 1983, but this year they lost to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka failing to make the last eight.

Since then, Greg Chappell has left as coach and has not been replaced.

It means the team arriving for three Tests and seven one-day internationals has to make do with a team manager, a fast-bowling coach and a feilding coach.

Kapil said: "There have been too many problems about who should be coach or manager.

"But the players should not have to look up to other people. You look to yourselves and say 'we are the ones who have to lift the team and win the matches.'

Sehwag & Harbhajan

"You don't need a high-profile guy for the sake of it. You need someone who can deliver.

"You may have the best coaches but if a player doesn't work, nothing good happens. The bat has to talk and the ball has to take wickets."

Kapil said it was "very sad" that dashing batsman Virender Sehwag and star off-spinner Harbhajan Singh had been dropped for the tour.

"Bot the players are very, very good match-winners, but every selection committee has a different way of thinking.