While
the
list
of
Indian,
Pakistani,
British,
Australian
and
South
African
cricketers
who
will
be
appearing
in
Nikhil
Advani"s
Patiala
House,
which
stars
Akshay
Kumar
as
an
aspiring
cricketer
from
London,
is
being
kept
tightly
confidential,
the
name
of
legendary
British
cricketer
Nasser
Hussain
has
leaked
out.
Nasser,
who
became
the
first
captain
of
the
English
cricket
team
to
be
born
of
Indian
and
British
parentage,
is
regarded
as
one
of
the
most
effective
English
test
captains
with
whopping
record-breaking
scores
in
test
cricket
to
his
credit.
The
Times
London
called
him
'the
most
significant
cricketer
to
have
played
for
England
since
the
War".
Now
Nasser
will
be
playing
Akshay"s
cricket
coach
in
Patiala
House.
Reluctant
to
reveal
much,
director
Nikhil
Advani
finally
admits,
“Yes
Nasser
Hussain
is
indeed
playing
my
hero
Gattu"s
(Akshay)
coach
in
the
film.
It
wasn"t
easy
getting
near
him,
let
alone
getting
him
to
agree
to
play
Akshay"s
coach.
Nasser
has
a
fairly
large
acting
stint
in
Patiala
House
as
Gattu"s
mentor
and
guru."
Nikhil
Advani
says
he
has
gone
through
the
most
harrowing
time
in
the
past
couple
of
months
trying
to
get
cricketers
from
the
world
over
into
his
film.
“Believe
me,
it"s
far
easier
to
sign
the
biggest
of
superstars
from
Bollywood
and
Hollywood
then
to
get
star-cricketers
on
board.
And
to
co-ordinate
their
dates….my
God!
I
don"t
know
how
I
survived!"
The
director
says
the
IPL
matches
in
India
made
his
task
easier.
“The
IPL
proved
a
blessing
for
me
and
Akshay.
We
got
star-cricketers
from
all
over
the
world
at
our
doorstep,
plus
their
managers
and
co-coordinators.
I
don"t
know
how
I"d
have
managed
if
the
IPL
matches
hadn"t
happened
in
our
country."
It
wasn"t
easy
convincing
Nasser
Hussain
to
face
the
motion-picture
camera
for
the
first
time.
Nikhil
Advani
assured
the
42-year
old
test
cricketer
that
he
wouldn"t
have
to
act
for
the
camera.
Just
be
himself.
Akshay
will
head
for
London
next
month
to
spend
pre-shooting
time
with
Nasser
so
that
they
look
like
guru
and
shishya
on
and
off
the
playing
field.
Sighs
Nikhil,
“Now
begins
the
new
phase
of
my
struggle
to
get
permission
to
shoot
in
England
at
major
stadiums
like
The
Oval
and
Lords."
Nikhil
begins
shooting
the
cricket
matches
for
Patiala
House
in
London
from
June
19.