Static footwork did not shackle Sandeep Patil. He did not believe footwork was the key to good batting.
“This footwork thing is over-blown. You should have good technique, keen eye and, most importantly, confidence,” said Patil, who had a better batting average overseas than at home.
“That is what helped me when I played in England. True I played just two Tests there but I did have several seasons in minor county and did not fail,” said Patil, ahead of India’s Test series in England.
Daring strokeplay
The former National Selection Committee chairman famously hit fast bowler Bob Willis for six fours in an over at Old Trafford in the 1982 Test series and won many fans for his daring strokeplay during his unbeaten 129.
“It just happened. It was my day. That’s it. He was a gentleman, a fantastic bowler and had to be watched closely. At the end of it he patted me warmly, but greeted me with a first-ball bouncer in the next Test. You could not take someone like Willis lightly,” Patil told The Hindu.
The run-up to the Old Trafford Test was not too good for Patil. “I think my batting average in the tour games was not even 10.
“I was going through a torrid time on the domestic front and my mind was very disturbed. In fact at one stage I told Sunil (Gavaskar) to send me back to Bombay. but he had faith in my abilities and gave me a long lecture which convinced me to stay on.
“Ghulam Parkar and Ashok Malhotra failed in the first Test (at Lord’s) and I got my break at Old Trafford.”
Returning to what he felt was exaggerated fear of playing conditions in England, Patil said, “I think it is all made up. I hardly faced any issues.
“Not that I scored runs in the thousands in England but I was not in any discomfort. I was lucky that Tatas sponsored my trip to England in 1979 to play some club cricket. I even bowled to the Indian team on tour then in the nets.”
Patil excelled against some great swing bowlers like Ian Botham, Derek Pringle, Paul Allot and the pace of Willis.
No fear of failure
“Because I did not have the fear of failure. My footwork was not great, but decisive. I backed myself. The great Vijay Manjrekar had remarked I wouldn’t succeed in England because of my technique.
“I did not fail because I believed in timing the ball than worrying about footwork. I would say the current batsmen should look to time the ball, learn to wait for it, and put away the fear of failure.”