Cricket

Ravi Shastri Recalls Extravagant Eating and Drinking Habits During Playing DaysFormer India head coach Ravi Shastri has shared some amusing anecdotes from his playing days, revealing the excessive eating and drinking habits he and his teammate Sandeep Patil indulged in during international tours.At the launch event of Patil's autobiography, "Beyond Boundaries," Shastri reminisced about their voracious appetites. "We used to get much more money than any of the Test cricketers get today," he said. "We were one pair (Shastri and Sandip Patil) that never took home any money. We would eat like pigs."Shastri recalled an incident where the room service staff was astonished by the sheer quantity of food they had ordered. "We were never short of liquid as well," he added. "We were thirsty from a very young age. The game used to end at 5.30 and by 6.30 wet wicket would start."Despite their extravagant lifestyle, Shastri and Patil were highly successful cricketers. Shastri played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs for India, scoring close to 7000 runs and taking 280 wickets combined. Patil, known for his aggressive batting, played 25 Tests and 45 ODIs.After retiring from playing, Shastri embarked on a successful career as a commentator and later served as India team director and head coach. Under his leadership, India achieved two historic Test series wins in Australia.Shastri's candid nature and willingness to share his experiences have made him a popular figure in the cricket world. His anecdotes provide a glimpse into the camaraderie and excesses that characterized the golden era of Indian cricket.

India's recent series loss to New Zealand has served as a wake-up call for the team, according to 1983 World Cup winner Sandeep Patil. Patil urged the team to leave the past behind and focus on the upcoming Australia tour, where they will face unique challenges.Patil emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and adapting to the conditions in Australia, where the quality of the opposition and the nature of the pitches present significant hurdles. He believes that India's talented and resilient squad has the potential to bounce back from setbacks and achieve success in challenging conditions."They have to play against Australia in Australia, they will have to forget what happened there last time. They will also have to forget what happened in this series (against New Zealand) and look forward," Patil said.Patil drew parallels to India's historic World Cup victory in 1983, where the team overcame setbacks and played with a positive mindset. He believes that the current team can emulate that spirit and deliver a strong performance in Australia."We lost all practice games before winning the World Cup, so they should remember... you have to think positive and play positively only then you will get a positive result," he said.Patil acknowledged that the series loss to New Zealand was a wake-up call, but expressed confidence in India's ability to recover strongly. He pointed to the team's consistent pattern of resurgence after setbacks."After every defeat, you have always seen the Indian team bouncing back. Not because I am an Indian and we all are Indians, but they will bounce back because they are a very good side," he stated.Regarding the Perth pitch, Patil noted its evolution from its previous characteristics, whilst highlighting the generally favourable batting conditions in Australian grounds. He attributed the series loss against New Zealand to underwhelming batting performances rather than outright failure."We lost the series (against New Zealand) because the batting didn't do well. I will not use the word 'failed' because it is negative. We just did not do well in the batting department."Patil expressed confidence that the team would have analyzed their performance and made necessary adjustments. He believes that India has the potential to overcome recent setbacks and achieve success in Australia.

Shikhar Dhawan's remarkable cricketing journey owes a significant debt to the astute judgment of two Mumbai stalwarts: Dilip Vengsarkar and Sandeep Patil. Their unwavering belief in Dhawan's talent paved the way for his meteoric rise in Indian cricket.In 2004, Vengsarkar, then chairman of the BCCI's Talent Research Development Wing, played a pivotal role in Dhawan's selection for the Under-19 World Cup. Despite Dhawan's initial omission due to poor performances in trial matches, Vengsarkar's insistence on his inclusion proved to be a masterstroke. Dhawan emerged as the tournament's highest run-getter, showcasing his exceptional talent.Years later, in 2013, Patil, as chief national selector, made the bold decision to select Dhawan for the third Test against Australia in Mohali. Replacing the legendary Virender Sehwag, Dhawan seized the opportunity with both hands, smashing a magnificent 187 on debut. His 85-ball century remains the fastest by any batter on Test debut.Patil's unwavering support for Dhawan, despite opposition from his fellow selectors, underscores his keen eye for talent. "Getting the right opportunity at the right time is extremely important," Patil said. "Shikhar had just returned from India A's South African tour after scoring a double century and a century there. He proved my decision right. He saved me!"Dhawan's success is a testament to the importance of mentors and selectors who recognize and nurture young talent. Vengsarkar and Patil's foresight and unwavering belief in Dhawan's abilities have played a significant role in shaping his illustrious career.