Couldn’t have asked for a better debut: Harshal Patel after winning man of the match

Tags: New Zealand tour of India, 2021, India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I at Ranchi, Nov 19, 2021, India, New Zealand, Harshal Vikram Patel

Published on: Nov 20, 2021

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After being named player of the match in the second T20I against New Zealand in Ranchi on Friday, Team India pacer Harshal Patel stated that he couldn’t have asked for a better debut. Patel claimed figures of 2 for 25, dismissing Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips as India restricted the Kiwis to 153 for 6. They then chased down the target in 17.2 overs, with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma hitting half-centuries.

Speaking after the post-match presentation after India’s win, Harshal admitted that he was extremely pleased with the way things went on in his debut match. The 30-year-old said, “The match did run through. When you are in the process you just get engrossed. It will sink in and it has been a great game. I couldn’t have asked for a better debut.”

Patel described himself as someone who is not very talented but asserted that he has worked very hard to find a way around to succeed. He added, “The progress is gradual and slow. For someone like me who is not exceptionally talented, I had to build my game from the ground up. I made mistakes and then found things that I can and cannot do well.”

On his cricketing journey so far, Patel said that it has been great and a learning curve as well. He explained, “It has been a great journey and has taught me many lessons which will hold me in good stead even after cricket. I feel you don’t need too many variations. You just need to know what works for you and need to package it well.”

Asked about the aspect of his bowling he would like to improve on, Patel pointed out that he still wants to get better with his yorker. He said, “I couldn’t bowl those yorkers and loopy slower ones in these conditions. The yorker is a delivery I would like to use and get better at. I have seen myself fall into shiny things so many times. It is another platform for me to come, perform and show my skills. Just want to do that and enjoy whatever comes my way.”

The pacer, who represents Haryana in domestic cricket, had a standout season in the IPL this year. Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), he claimed a record-equaling 32 wickets in 15 games at a strike rate of 10.56 and an economy rate of 8.14.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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