Former India cricketer Sadashiv Patil passes away at 86

Sadashiv Patil, a former India and Maharashtra cricketer, has passed away at the of 86. He represented in India in one Test match while featured in 36 first-class matches in 11 domestic seasons. He played his last first-class season in 1963-64.

As a medium-pacer who could bat in the lower middle order, Patil made an instant impact in first-class cricket.  On his debut for Maharashtra in the 1952-53 season, he troubled the strongest domestic side in India and Maharashtra’s arch-rivals, Mumbai.  His unchanged bowling spell saw the domestic champions folding up for 112 after Maharashtra were bowled out for a mere 167. In the 2nd innings, Patil took 3/68 as Maharashtra completed a phenomenal 19-run win.

Patil then won the India Test cap (No. 79) against New Zealand at the Brabourne Stadium. Polly Umrigar was his captain in that Test. Taking the new ball, the medium-pacer picked up a wicket in each innings as India went on to win by an innings and 27 runs.

Inexplicably, Patil never played for India again. He continued to play for Maharashtra and also played in England’s Lancashire League, where he featured in 52 matches, taking 111 wickets in two seasons (1959 and 1961). Overall, he finished his career with 83 first-class wickets at 30.66 with 3 five-wicket hauls. He also scored 866 runs at 27.06 with three half-centuries.