Sandhu tipped Patil about facing Marshall in 1983 WC: Book

In his soon-to-be-launched book titled "The Devil's Pack", co-authored by his former Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers teammate Austin Coutinho, Sandhu has written about his 1983 Cup-winning mates, including triumphant captain Kapil Dev and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar.

"Emerging from a disturbed family life, a movie that bombed and injury problems, Sandeep Patil did well to be selected for the World Cup of 1983. He had never faced the West Indies pacemen and would keep asking whether he would be able to play them," an extract from the book says.

"How fast are they? Can you see the ball, facing them?" he would inquire. "Hey, Sandy!" I would tell him. "I've hooked Marshall for two boundaries in the Jamaica test. If I can do that, you can do a lot better!".

"I couldn't tell him that both my shots to the demon pace bowler were instinctive and that I saw the ball only at the last moment. Marshall was a slippery customer and most of his deliveries just skidded past you.

"The reassurances and his inborn talent helped Patla do well on that trip and our bond of friendship got further strengthened post the World Cup campaign," Sandhu has written.

Sandhu has also chronicled the leg-pulling that went on during the campaign between the two and their common love for wild life which was developed when they had visited Kenya.