King of good times is 50

Sandeep Patil, former India dasher, turns 50 today. Patil is currently coaching the Oman team towards a World Cup dream. In a chat with Mid-Day, the Mumbai-based daily, he talks about his life, cricket and his hopes for the future.

You can’t forget the sacking [from the post of Indian team coach in 1996], can you?

It was a rude blow. My reaction was similar when they dropped me from the team on December 17, 1984. It was in Delhi and Sunil [Gavaskar] told me in the hotel lift that I will not play the next Test in Calcutta.

In 1996 too, Sunil gave me a hint in Sri Lanka. We were staying at Lanka Oberoi. Sunil, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammed Azharuddin and I were to meet Jagmohan Dalmiya in his room. I met Sunil in the lobby. He told me, ‘Patlya, I think tula goli deli’ (I think they’ve sacked you).

Also, read Patil's interview with Cricinfo's Nagraj Gollapudi.

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