Sandeep Patil has excelled in all the different roles he has played in cricket. He was India’s star player at the 1983 World Cup, served as the coach of the India team and later guided Kenya to the semifinals of the 2003 World Cup, had a good stint at the helm of the National Cricket Academy and then as chairman of the selection committee. Looking for a fresh challenge, the 66-year-old has decided to contest the Mumbai Cricket Association’s election for the president’s post from the Mumbai Cricket Group. He has his task cut out against Sharad Pawar-Ashish Shelar group’s Amol Kale, who is backed by all political parties.

Sandeep Patil has excelled in all the different roles he has played in cricket. He was India’s star player at the 1983 World Cup, served as the coach of the India team and later guided Kenya to the semifinals of the 2003 World Cup, had a good stint at the helm of the National Cricket Academy and then as chairman of the selection committee. Looking for a fresh challenge, the 66-year-old has decided to contest the Mumbai Cricket Association’s election for the president’s post from the Mumbai Cricket Group. He has his task cut out against Sharad Pawar-Ashish Shelar group’s Amol Kale, who is backed by all political parties.

The odds are against him, but Patil is taking inspiration from the 1983 World Cup underdog story. “No one gave India a chance against West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final, this election is similar for me, anything can happen,” he told the MCA clubs voters on Tuesday.

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Excerpts from the chat:

The main focus of the Lodha Committee reforms was to get cricketers in cricket administration; hence it is a good step that you are contesting...

Cricketer naam ka nahi, kaam ka chahiye (you don’t need a cricketer as a showpiece, he should be worthy). I have 50 years of experience and there is no alternative to experience. I don’t have just playing experience, the advantage that I have is I have seen everything, from selection to coaching to administration, travelled everywhere to understand how work is done.

It is not about whether Mumbai can win Ranji Trophy for the 42nd time. If you improve club cricket then naturally Mumbai will win. We have to go to the grassroots, school cricket, college cricket, corporate cricket tournaments. There are 113 teams participating, unfortunately, there are only two corporate tournaments. All this I know because of my administration background, as NCA director I visited 31 associations including Nagaland, Dimapur, and Tripura.

All this experience I can use if we get elected.

How easy or difficult was it to take this decision when the group approached you lead them in the elections?

I had taken the decision three years ago also but I was given out wrongly, for conflict of interest. Now also conflict of interest is being brought up. Salil Ankola's appointment happened two years ago. I was not there, today also I am not there in the association. So, from did the conflict of interest come?

If on such trivial issues you are going to deny me from serving Mumbai cricket, it's not fair.

Our agenda is only one – cricket, cricket and cricket. The improvement and development of Mumbai cricket. Sandeep Patil is not important. Mumbai cricket is important. My 50 years of experience, starting from school, if I can’t use then what’s the point? I am today because of Mumbai Cricket Association, and if my Mumbai Cricket Group members get a chance, I will be so happy to give it back. Even one percent if I can give back to Mumbai cricket, I will be very happy.

It is not an easy election...

No election is easy, no cricket match is easy. You have to score runs, you have to take wickets, let’s see. I don’t want to talk about the opposition. I want to talk about my group. Those who qualify they have all the right to stand, everybody is welcome.

Recent MCA history is against cricketers in elections against politicians, but this time it is expected to be a close contest for the president’s post?

Everybody has a good chance, the election is not over. I don’t want to go into that. My intention is only to serve Mumbai cricket, to give something back to Mumbai cricket with my experience, luckily I have experience in cricket as a player, I have experience in coaching, I have experience in selection, I have experience in administration when I was with the NCA, handling 31 associations on behalf of the BCCI. I consider myself lucky that whatever responsibility BCCI gave me I tried to do it with total sincerity. Here also I am seeking blessings and looking for an opportunity to serve the game. It is not up to me, it is up to the voters. The voters have to understand, the voter has to decide who is the best person for the job. I am saying the best person should win.

The voters can get intimidated by your profile whether you will be approachable? How do you clear that doubt?

See, man management is very important. That depends on the person, every person’s working style is different, thinking style is different. Unless and until I get the opportunity, voters will not know me. To go in front of the voters to speak is one thing, to gain their confidence I need some time. I will have to spend some time. Beforehand I can’t make statements that I will do this and do that. Give me a chance and then see, because it is a huge, huge set-up. It is not about the bat and ball. It is difficult for me to say that, it is up to the voters to judge, but to judge one needs to get a chance to work then you can judge how the individual is.