Success didn’t come easy for Harshal Patel. He had to grind it out in domestic cricket before he got his opportunity to play for India. The 31-year-old Patel also played a lot of IPL before he started making waves. Eventually, it was in 2021 that he made a name for himself, taking a hattrick against Mumbai Indians. Making India debut with Rahul Dravid as new coach was also special for the Haryana cricketer. Recalling the instance he made his debut, Patel said he will never forget what Dravid told him. “He told me: you have come here after playing 10 years of domestic cricket, you obviously know your game really well, you had a brilliant IPL and I don’t want you to do anything different. You are very confident and you know what you want to do on the field and we’ll back you, just be very clear in your head and enjoy the moment,’ he told Crictracker in an interview.
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The purple cap holder also said that he doesn’t get awestruck despite the presence of superstars in RCB camp where the likes AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli hog all the limelight.
“It’s pretty normal to be honest. I don’t get star-struck. Even I remember my first year in IPL, I was never star-struck. I just admire them for what they bring onto the field, the kind of people they are, the level of skill they have and their ability to stand up in pressure situation and say: ‘I am going to bring the team out of this difficult situation.” That’s what I have learnt from those two guys.’
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Just two months before the IPL 2021, Patel suffered a Grade 3 ankle ligament tear which meant playing cricket was out of the question. But he came back strong. “Injuries actually builds and tests character because the moment you get injured or the moment you undergo rehab, from that moment to the moment when you return to the field, everything in between requires a lot of patience and consistent work. So, it shows how important this game is for you,” he said.
“I just want to say (to whoever is going through an injury), I know it’s very difficult mentally and physically but all you need to do it put one step in front of the other, listen to the professionals and keep your mind fresh.”
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