After winning the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 with 32 wickets, Harshal Patel stayed in the UAE as a net bowler for India’s T20 World Cup preparations. He was rewarded with his maiden India call-up for the New Zealand T20I series and debuted in the Ranchi T20I, claiming four wickets. Reflecting on his journey, Harshal shared his emotional experience of wearing the Indian jersey for the first time on the RCB podcast. He said:
“I felt really proud when I got that jersey. So they rang the bell and left it outside the room. It was a box and I opened it. Took the jersey out and I wore it and took a picture in it. My wife was with me. The first time I wore it, I had flashbacks of everything that I’ve been through and there was a proud moment.”
Harshal Patel played his first IPL season with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2012 and appeared in 12 matches. After spending six seasons with RCB, he moved to Delhi Capitals in 2018 but was traded back to RCB in 2021. IPL 2021 was a significant year for the medium pacer as his success was attributed to his execution of slower and yorker deliveries at crucial moments during matches.
Consistent practice and trial and error over the last decade have contributed to Patel’s development, alongside execution. Zaheer Khan taught Harshal Patel the significance of mastering four key bowling variations: length ball, bouncers, slower, and a yorker. According to Patel, combining these effectively is critical to a bowler’s success.
Mastering the Art of Death Bowling: Insights from Harshal Patel
Harshal Patel is a death overs specialist for RCB, taking 21 of his 32 wickets in IPL 2021 between overs 16 and 20 at an economy rate of 9.18. He believes that off-field preparation and planning are crucial to success in death overs bowling. With constant practice and adaptation to the situation, Harshal has become one of the world’s top death bowlers. He was retained by RCB for INR 10.75 crore ahead of the IPL 2023 auction.