Harshal Patel, who picked up a five-wicket haul in RCB’s first game of 2021 admitted that the communication was very clear from the team management on his role in the side.
Royal Challengers Bangalore started the IPL 2021 beating defending champions Mumbai Indians in a tense final-ball finish as they chased down 160 with two wickets to spare.
With the ball, it was Harshal Patel who was the star. MI were 128/3 in 15 overs, but some fantastic execution from Patel helped the Challengers restrict them to just 159/9. The Haryana pacer, who conceded 15 runs in his first over, came back strongly to finish with a five-wicket haul. It was the first time in the history of the IPL that a five-wicket haul was taken against Mumbai.
Patel was with RCB for six seasons and played 36 matches in all. In 2018, he was signed by the Delhi Capitals for his base price of INR 20 lakh. He featured in just 12 games across three seasons.
Ahead of the 2021 season, Patel was traded to RCB. He admitted that in the very first camp before the tournament started, the communication was very clear on his role as a death bowler and he would be bowling at least two overs at the fag end of the innings.
“When I was traded (from Delhi to RCB), I was told what kind of role I would be playing in the team. When we gathered for our first camp, there were very clear instructions to me that I was going to bowl at least two overs at the death. That gave me a lot of clarity and confidence to work on my skills and develop plans against certain batters that I could face in the death overs in various teams,”
Patel said in a virtual press conference after the game.
Patel had not only taken five wickets, but he also scored the winning runs under pressure when one run was required off the final delivery. Thus, it was a game to remember for him, and it was an excellent comeback as well.
RCB next play Sunrisers Hyderabad on the 14th of April at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
