When Sandeep Patil tried to impose a fine on Sunil Gavaskar for not wearing a tie
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar revealed a hilarious incident when Sandeep Patil tried to impose a fine on him for not wearing a tie. He also shared how the tables turned and Sandeep Patil had to go on to pay the fine instead.
Sunil Gavaskar shared some interesting anecdotes from his time as captain of the Indian cricket team on the podcast 22 Yarns with Gaurav Kapur.
When Sunil Gavaskar was the captain of the Indian team he had introduced the concept of a Sunday club to break the ice within the team. A team member was appointed as the Chairman who would decide the dress code for the day.
The Little Master talked about the weird uniform prescribed by Sandeep Patil when the latter was chosen as the chairman of the club.
"When Sandeep Patil was the chairman, absolutely ideal as he was such a fun loving guy, he had a uniform where you had to come with a centre parting in your hair."
"If I recall correctly you came in with a white sock in your left hand and a black one in your right hand, not on your feet mind you. You came in with the shirt tied back to front or you wore a tie without a shirt."
Sunil Gavaskar added that although the concept was crazy, it helped the young team members to shed their inhibitions.
"It was crazy but what it did was that the junior-most member of the team saw that happening and he realised that these guys might be great players but they are also same like him. It certainly helped wonderfully."
Sunil Gavaskar on Sandeep Patil trying to fine him
Sunil Gavaskar mentioned that the chairman of the Sunday club had the privilege to impose a fine on anyone not following the dress code although it could be overturned if the rest of the team did not agree.
"In that particular Sunday club, the chairman had the option to fine you for not having come dressed as you were told. If the rest of the team agreed, it would go through but the rest of the team could also contest."
Sunil Gavaskar narrated the incident when Sandeep Patil tried to fine him for not following the amusing dress code prescribed by the latter.
"I remember that he had asked us to wear a tie, we were bare chested, had a centre parting with lipstick on, something like that. He asked me where my tie was. I told him that I have got my tie on, so what is his problem."
Sunil Gavaskar responded by stating that he had worn the tie around his waist as it was never specified where it was supposed to be worn.
"He fined me stating - 'Sunil Gavaskar is not dressed well, he has not worn a tie so he is fined'. I asked him why he was fining me and told that my tie was where my shorts were. It was under my shorts. I told him that he had never specified that the tie had to be worn on the neck."
Sunil Gavaskar revealed how he had mischievously turned the tables on Sandeep Patil and got the latter to pay the fine instead.
"Then I turned it around and I asked rest of the guys that I had got this and that he had not mentioned that it had to be worn around the throat. So because he has fined me wrongly, did they think that the chairman should be fined. Everybody unanimously agreed, so the chairman got fined."
Sunil Gavaskar signed off by stating that the fines that had been collected were used as funds for the following Sunday.
"And the fines that were collected were used for the drinks and refreshments for the next Sunday's thing."
Sunil Gavaskar and Sandeep Patil were integral members of the Indian team that won the 1983 World Cup under the captaincy of Kapil Dev.
The Mumbai opening batsman represented India in 125 Test matches, scoring 10122 runs including 34 centuries. He also captained India in 47 Test matches, winning 9 of those with 30 encounters ending in a draw.