Sandeep Patil. File picture
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Sandeep Patil is set to return to the Mumbai cricket fold after almost a decade, with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) appointing the 1983 World Cup winner as Team Mentor for the senior and age-group men’s teams for the forthcoming domestic season.
MCA president Ajinkya Naik confirmed Patil’s appointment on Tuesday (June 23, 2026), entrusting one of Mumbai’s most decorated cricketers with the responsibility of guiding the next generation through the build-up to and during the domestic campaign.
For Patil, it marks a homecoming of sorts. The former Mumbai captain’s last active role in the region’s cricket administration came in 2016, when he stepped down as chairman of selectors after completing a four-year stint as chief selector of the Indian team.
His return also signals the end of a chapter that had distanced him from the MCA. Patil had unsuccessfully contested the association’s presidential election in October 2022, losing to the late Amol Kale in a fiercely contested battle. The defeat had effectively kept him away from Mumbai cricket, making Tuesday’s appointment a significant reconciliation between one of Mumbai’s most celebrated cricketing figures and its administration.
Patil’s credentials extend far beyond his aggressive strokeplay that illuminated India’s triumphant 1983 World Cup campaign. Forced into an early international retirement in 1986, he built a distinguished second innings as coach and administrator.
He briefly served as India’s head coach in 1996 and enjoyed considerable success as India A coach, overseeing the development of a generation of cricketers that included a young Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Internationally, Patil earned widespread acclaim by guiding Kenya to a historic semifinal appearance at the 2003 World Cup, one of the biggest underdog stories in the tournament’s history.
He later headed the National Cricket Academy before taking charge as chairman of the national selection committee from 2012 to 2016.
The mentor’s role will allow Patil to work across Mumbai’s senior and age-group teams, sharing his vast experience with a domestic powerhouse eager to rediscover its title-winning consistency after a trophy-less 2025-26 season.
His appointment also complements the MCA’s recent emphasis on strengthening its cricket structure, with former left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar taking over as chairman of selectors and Omkar Salvi continuing as head coach.
Published – June 24, 2026 12:31 pm IST
