Success was not easy for Harshal Patel. He had to make it through in domestic cricket before he got a chance to play for India. The 31-year-old also played a lot of IPL before making waves. After all, it was in 2021 that he made a name for himself by taking a hat-trick against Mumbai Indians. Making India’s debut with Rahul Dravid as the new coach was also special for the Haryana cricketer. Recalling the example of his debut, Patel said he would never forget what Dravid told him. “He told me: You have come here after playing 10 years of domestic cricket, you obviously know your game very well, you had a great IPL and I don’t want you to do anything different. You are very confident And you know what you want to do on the field and we will support you, just be very clear in your mind and enjoy the moment,” he told CricTracker in an interview.
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The Purple Cap holder also said that he doesn’t take a peek at the superstar’s presence at the RCB camp, where the likes of AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli play.
“It’s very normal to be honest. I don’t get star-struck. Even I remember my first year in IPL, I was never star-struck. Whatever they bring to the field, I admire them for the kind of people they are, the level of skill they have and their ability to stand up to pressure situations and say: ‘I’m going to get the team out of this tough situation. That’s what I learned from those two people. ,
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Just two months before IPL 2021, Patel suffered a Grade 3 ankle ligament tear, which meant that playing cricket was out of the question. But he came back strongly. “Injury really builds and tests character because from the moment you get injured or the moment you go through rehab, from the moment you return to the field, everything in between takes a lot of patience and consistent work. So, it shows how important this game is to you.”
“I just want to say (to anyone who is going through an injury), I know it’s going to be tough mentally and physically, but all you have to do is put one step in front of the other, listen to the pros and do your best. Keep your mind fresh.”
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