IPL 2021: I look forward to playing the death bowler role for a long time – Harshal Patel

Royal Challengers Bangalore all-rounder Harshal Patel doesn’t want to be a one-night wonder in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2021. Patel got off to a dream start in the 14th edition of the IPL as he scalped a five-wicket haul in the opening clash against the defending champions, Mumbai Indians.

Thus, he became the first bowler in IPL history to bag a fifer against Mumbai Indians. Patel was brilliant in the death overs for RCB as he mixed his pace with guile and he was also able to hit the blockhole at consistent intervals with great accuracy.

RCB has struggled with his death bowling over the years and Harshal Patel showed promise that he can put paid to those woes. In fact, the franchise captain Virat Kohli had also shown faith in Patel and stated that he is going to be a designated death bowler for the team this season.

Patel stated that he is looking forward to playing the death bowler role for a long time for RCB. The right-arm medium pacer has worked hard on his bowling in the off-season and the results have been palpable.

“I’ve always believed that my primary role is making a positive impact for my team. If the captain is confident enough to put me in those important situations, I look at it as a privilege and it is something that I look forward to keeping doing for a long time. And I’m happy that I’m being trusted with the role,” Harshal Patel said in a virtual interaction with reporters on Tuesday (April 13).

Patel added that all the team’s think tank understands the uncapped bowlers can also do the job for them in the death overs.

“Most of the teams, their management, have started looking at how the bowlers are doing in practice games, in training, how good they are at their execution regardless of what their stature is. Whether they are capped players, uncapped players, international players. I think it’s a good trend that people are starting to realize that even the uncapped bowlers are good enough to take responsibility for death bowling. I think we’ll see more of this going forward,” he said. 

Patel returned with impressive figures of 5-27 in his four overs against MI and he was able to dismiss batsmen like Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, and Krunal Pandya. RCB will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 14th April.