“We’re Sending You Home,” says Harshal Patel, recalling the “Epitome Of Rejection.” Pacer Harshal Patel describe being sent home midway through an IPL season as the “epitome of rejection.”
Harshal Patel has established himself as one of the best death bowlers, with batters struggling to pick his slower balls out of his hand. Royal Challengers Bangalore rely entirely on their pacers to not concede many runs and to take wickets at critical moments in the game. The pacer describe being sent home midway through an Indian Premier League (IPL) season as the “epitome of rejection.”
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Harshal Patel: Midway of an IPL season as the “epitome of rejection.”
“I played five games in 2016 and then didn’t play again.” The same situation in 2017. I was once sent home. This used to happen a lot more often because if you keep a player, you have to pay for his hotel room, daily allowances, take him to practice, and book his flight tickets. What happened is still fresh in my mind. Avinash Vaidya enter the room and said, ‘Dan (Daniel Vettori) wants to speak with you.’ We’re staying at the Ritz-Carlton. So he summon me to the breakfast area and inform me, ‘We don’t see you playing for at least another 4-5 games, so we’re sending you home.’ But don’t worry, we’ll call you back. It was the pinnacle of rejection, that you aren’t even in the team.” Harshal on Breakfast With Champions.
“Then, after 4-5 games, I believe RCB eliminate, and we were unable to qualify. So I message Vettori, ‘Give me a game.’ Thats the first time I ever sold myself to someone. They called me for the last game, which was against Delhi at Kotla. The first over I bowled yielded 14-15 runs, and then my nerves calmed down. ‘I already been hit for 15 runs, how bad can it get?’ I reasoned. Then I ended up picking three wickets and helping the team win the game. In that game, I was name Player of the Match. Then there was the 2018 auction the following year “He went on to say
Harshal Patel traded by the DC to the RCB ahead of the 2021 IPL season. The pacer went on to win the Purple Cap after taking 32 wickets.
Harshal then purchase by RCB in the IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru for Rs 10.75 crore.
Harshal has nine wickets in seven games this season, with his best figures being 2/11.