IPL 2022: Harshal Patel Recalls How His Ranji Tophy Performance Helped Him Bag His First Contract With RCB

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bangalore all-rounder Harshal Patel recalls how his Ranji Trophy performance served as a benchmark for his selection into the franchise. He said that his back-to-back eight wicket halls gave him great confidence to perform at that level.

“RCB approached me and asked if I was open to coming for their trials and of course, I had shown my interest. We went on to play the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy. I took eight-wicket hauls back-to-back and that is when Avinash Vaidya said Anil Kumble wants to speak to me, I was shocked. It took me a while to get back to my senses. They then offered me a contract and I was on board,” speaking on the RCB Podcast, Patel said.

“10 years ago, it was the first time I got into the IPL, and again how I got into IPL is again a fascinating story. I was playing for Haryana, my first-ever Ranji trophy season. I had played five games and taken nine wickets so nothing fancy there. When we qualified and played against Karnataka, I took eight-wicket, and it gave me the confidence to perform at that level,” he added.

ILThe franchise also bought Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (Rs 10.75 crore), Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood (Rs 7.75 crore), and South Africa’s veteran batsman Faf du Plessis (Rs 7 crore).

The 31-year-old Haryana cricketer remembered his childhood, saying he was a kind of a troublemaker kid.

“I was kind of a troublemaker when I was a kid. My mom decided that she doesn’t want me to play with these kids who she claimed as hooligans. I joined a cricket academy. On my first day at the academy, I realized I was better than most of the children there even though I have no formal training in cricket. This made me realise I am really good at it, and at the age of 13, it gives you a feeling that you are the king of everything. But, as always, the bubbles were to burst at some time. Early cricketing memories are brilliant, and I love the game,” he said.