Harshal Patel is a smart custodian when it comes to T20 cricket and his steady rise in the format is a proof of it. The 31-year-pacer won the Purple Cap in the previous edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which saw his scalp 32 wickets from 15 matches. Soon after his impressive display, Patel was rewarded with a India cap, making his T20I debut against New Zealand last year. (IPL 2022 full coverage)
The bowler, who was not retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead on the mega auction, was roped in by the franchise for a whopping ₹10.75 crore.
Reflecting back on his career, Patel credits Zaheer Khan as the man responsible behind his success, claiming he received all his T20 education from the India legend.
“If I have to look at one person who sort of legitimized slower balls, it was Zaheer Khan in the 2011 World Cup. The way he got people out with those knuckleballs was unbelievable to watch. I got my education in T20 bowling from him,” said Patel on Gaurav Kapur’s show Breakfast with Champions on YouTube.
Patel recalled sharing the dressing room with the World Cup winner back in 2012, when they were playing for RCB. He also narrated an interesting episode when Khan had asked him not to bowl a slower delivery, which the former ignored and was hit for a six by Robin Uthappa.
{{/usCountry}}Patel recalled sharing the dressing room with the World Cup winner back in 2012, when they were playing for RCB. He also narrated an interesting episode when Khan had asked him not to bowl a slower delivery, which the former ignored and was hit for a six by Robin Uthappa.
{{/usCountry}}“I started with RCB in 2012, and he used to come up to every single ball and tell me what to bowl. So he used to tell me how to package it. I remember we were playing in Pune, and he had told me not to ball the slower ball. But I bowled a slower ball to Uthappa and he hit me for a six over mid-wicket. He walked towards me and apart from among other things he said, ‘Didn’t I tell you not to bowl that?,” Patel added.
With 10 wickets from 8 outings, Patel is the third-highest wicket-taker from the RCB camp and would look to improve his performance as the season proceeds.