After guiding the Kenyans to a new high in the World Cup, Sandeep Patil took a fresh guard in Bangalore on Sunday with his new assignment as coach of the India 'A' side.
"It's a new challenge and responsibility. I have started afresh like any newcomer on the first day today. I hope at the end of the day, I will do a decent job," he said.
Assisted by John Wright, Patil kickstarted the 18-day coaching camp here for Shiv Sundar Das-led India 'A' team, who would be touring England from June 22 to August 3.
On his coaching stint with Kenya, which became the first non-Test playing country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year, Patil said he had 'dumped' the assignment and 'it all happened in the past.'
But he hastened to add that he got tremendous joy coaching Kenyans. "That happened in the past. I don't give importance to the past. What's important for me is tomorrow. What happened is gone."
A modest man that he is, Patil is not willing to take the credit for Kenya's wonderful outing.
"Players have to perform. Management has to work hand-in-hand. One needs support of the selection committee and parent bodies. When everything works, you get the results," he said on the Kenyan campaign in South Africa.
Patil was closeted for the better part of the day with Wright and selection committee chairman Brijesh Patel trying to 'know their policies and ideas.'
"It was a fruitful meeting. The help that I am going to get from Wright and Brijesh is very important for me," Patil said.
Wright would be here for 18 days assisting Patil in the camp. They will be later joined by Madan Lal.
Stressing the importance of having 'total rapport' with Wright and Patel in coaching style and practice, Patil said: "It's not that Sandeep Patil is going to work on his own or do something differently."
Noting that the England tour was coming just before New Zealand's visit to India to take on the India senior side, he said it was important for Wright to get the feedback from India 'A' players. "We have to give feedback to the senior side."
"My job is to prepare the team which will be ready to take the step forward (to get into the senior side)," Patil said.
