'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
RCB pacer Harshal Patel has revealed that he was told during the team's first training camp that he would be their designated death bowler.
The 30-year-old Harshal Patel, who was traded by Delhi Capitals to RCB ahead of IPL 2021, starred for the Bangalore-based franchise with 5 for 27 in the opening match of the season against Mumbai Indians; RCB clinched the thriller by two wickets.
Speaking after the game, Man of the Match Harshal Patel said that he has been given specific instructions regarding his role in the team. The same has helped him prepare better for the tournament. The medium-pacer elaborated in this regard:
“When I was traded, 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. That clarity was given to me very early, and that made my preparation a lot more concise.”
One of the impressive aspects of Harshal Patel’s performance was his variations. He mixed his slower balls with his yorkers with aplomb. Two of the slower balls accounted for MI big-hitters Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, while a perfect yorker on middle stump sent back Ishan Kishan.
Didn’t have confidence of bowling yorkers earlier: Harshal Patel
Harshal Patel added that he is ready to play any role that the team wants him to. He asserted that he has enough options in his arsenal to restrict the batsmen in the powerplay. Elaborating further, Harshal Patel said:
“I knew I had enough options to bowl probably one over in the powerplay. And if I had to bowl in the middle overs, I had enough options too. I probably didn’t need the yorker that much. If you need to bowl in the death overs, you definitely need to rely on the yorker. You cannot just keep bowling length balls and slower balls. People are going to line up to that. It is important to have that one delivery which can get the batsman off strike. It can give you options at the death.”
Asked about his slower yorker, he revealed that he has been bowling it for a couple of years but hadn’t been getting too many wickets with it, saying:
“I have been bowling that (slower yorker) for almost two years now. When you don’t get wickets off those deliveries, people don’t tend to see that. That variation is not as effective if you don’t get wickets. When you get wickets, people obviously notice that. My yorker is one thing that I have been bowling for a long time, but I was not confident enough to take that into the game. In the last 15-20 days, I have put myself in situations where I have to bowl yorkers. I have got confident with that.”
Harshal Patel’s five-for restricted Mumbai Indians to 159 for 9 in the first match of IPL 2021. RCB chased down the target, thanks to AB de Villiers’ scintillating knock of 47 from 28 balls.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
