Harshal Patel Rues The Lack Of Consistent Opportunities In The IPL

Harshal Patel, Haryana seam-bowling all-rounder, feels that having a godfather in cricket makes a whole lot of difference to ones’ career. After having broken a 36-year-old record for taking most wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season for Haryana, Patel is hoping he will get a more consistent run in the IPL if it takes place this year.

Patel, whose 2019 IPL stint ended prematurely due to an injury, feels that he has not got the opportunities he may have deserved.

“I do realize that I was not very consistent at times. So if you look at the spell of 24 balls, I may have given a couple of loose balls here and there and that has hurt my economy. So when you look at only numbers it shows that I have been expensive,” Harshal Patel told the Indian Express

“But I have also been able to get wickets at crucial stages and to put this in perspective, you will get to know that I have done reasonably well,” Patel said.

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“I don’t want to be called an all-rounder just for the sake of it’- Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel led Haryana for the very first time in the 2019-20 edition where he not only proceeded to break Rajinder Goel’s record for most wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season for Haryana, he also ended up as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.

Patel, who also racked up 292 runs with the bat in the Ranji Trophy season while batting at the No.8 slot, feels that he never got the kind of opportunity that he should have in the IPL.

“I don’t want to be called an all-rounder just for the sake of it. My goal is to contribute more and more value to the team. In IPL, I have never got an opportunity to bat. I have got two proper innings where I have done reasonably well,” Harshal Patel said

“I would like to get more opportunities with the bat. It’s always an advantage for the team because if you have a player who can bat at number 7 and bowl four overs, it adds a lot to the combination. In that case, you have one player doing the job of two,” Patel said,” Patel added.

Harshal Patel has been with the IPL for nine seasons now. He represented RCB between 2012-2017 before getting picked by Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2018 season. The all-rounder has played more than 5 games in just two seasons. In 43 IPL games, he has claimed 43 wickets.

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