Sandeep Patil recalls the 1983 World Cup triumph

It's been 13,515 days since Kapil Dev received the trophy at the picturesque Lord's balcony, but the memories are still fresh in the minds of Indian cricket enthusiasts. The 1983 World Cup victory was indeed a catalyst for the substantial growth of the sport in India.

Former Indian cricketer, Sandeep Patil recalls India's triumphant run in the 1983 World Cup. The 63-year-old said that the resilience and optimism notion embodied within the team helped India overcome the formidable West Indies side in the final.

"During the 83 World Cup final, after we were restricted to 183, we thought we were down and out. But before stepping onto the field for the second innings, we all made a very fervent resolution in our minds and as a team. The rest they say is history. Bowling to the likes of Greenidge, Viv Richards was no easy task but because we were focussed on laying our hands on that trophy, we were able to do it. So, being mentally mature is very important for any sportsperson, not just cricketers," Sandeep Patil was quoted as saying on the Star Sports show.

During his tenure as coach of Kenya, Patil talked about how he placed greater emphasis on the mental toughness of the players before any high-profile tournament. He was instrumental in guiding Kenya to the 2003 World Cup semi-finals.

"Even during my tenure as coach of Kenya, I used to always focus on players being mentally strong before any tournament," Patil said. 

Sandeep Patil also spoke about the importance of maintaining mental maturity for any athlete during the tumultuous phase.

"These are pretty uncertain times and the challenge to bounce back without any injuries will be a real task for any player. But they need to remember that all these challenges will first have to be dealt strongly in the mind. You need to begin slowly and ensure that you tune your focus firmly on making an injury-free comeback, " he said.