It’s a face-off between former India batting star Sandeep Patil and incumbent MCA vice-president Amol Kale for the president’s post in the October 20 Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections. Patil represents Mumbai Cricket Group (name changed at the last minute after Sharad Pawar merged with Ashish Shelar’s panel) in his quest to become MCA’s first Test cricketer president since Madhav Mantri in the late 1980s.

Pawar’s so-called about turn came as a rude shock to Patil’s team who were till then campaigning under the NCP chief’s name. Kale is a childhood buddy of Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. There will be no contest for the vice-president’s post as all candidates withdrew on Friday—the last day for withdrawals. Once the elected body is in place, an election will take place for the VP’s post.