Former India cricketer Sandeep Patil has opened up about his strained relationship with Gautam Gambhir, revealing that the two have barely spoken since Gambhir was dropped from the Indian team during Patil’s tenure as chairman of selectors. Patil, who was also a member of India’s historic squad in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, said the decision created a rift that still lingers years later. Patil made the candid revelation during a conversation with journalist Vickey Lalwani on a YouTube show.
The former selector admitted that while he once shared a strong bond with Gambhir, their relationship changed dramatically after the selection decision. According to Patil, Gambhir has remained distant ever since. The former opener has reportedly avoided even acknowledging him at public events or television discussions, despite the two appearing together on several occasions.
“Gambhir is still upset with me,” Sandeep Patil said during the chat. “He has never spoken to me. We’ve had so many shows sitting like this – News18, ABP. Gautam never even looked at me. Every time I say hello, there is no response. Not even a glance. But that’s fair enough. I still respect this guy.”
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Patil also reflected on the strong friendship they once shared. The former India all-rounder revealed that Gambhir used to stay in regular touch with him and even supported him during difficult phases of his coaching career.
“That’s him. He’s such a great guy. We have played tennis together. We had such a great rapport,” Sandeep Patil said. “You will be surprised that Gautam used to call me once every two weeks. When I was removed as a coach, he called me. But that’s okay.”
Patil served as India’s chairman of selectors from 2012 to 2016, a period that saw several legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly step away from international cricket. Reflecting on player reactions to being dropped, Patil noted that every cricketer handles the situation differently.
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“Every person is different. Gautam was very serious about his career and is very focused about his batting and approach,” he explained. “No cricketer wants to leave the stage when you are doing well. No cricketer wants to get dropped.” He added that some legends accepted their exits quietly. “VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly quietly went away. Virender Sehwag wanted to have a good celebration – didn’t get it.”
