Indian pacer Harshal Patel admitted that he expected Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to release him before the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. He said he did not justify his tag last season and was not surprised when he was not retained .
Harshal Patel was one of the top picks of the IPL 2024 auction. The Indian pacer pocketed a whopping amount of INR 11.75 crore and will now play for the Punjab Kings in the upcoming edition. He was expected to get a big amount because he has been pretty consistent in the format.
Harshal Patel did not have a great outing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as he was targeted in almost every game and did not make the kind of impact the team would have wanted from him. His poor performances made RCB release him for the next league.
Harshal Patel took 14 wickets in the 13 games he played and had an economy rate of over 9. The pacer was at his exceptional best during 2021 when he picked 32 wickets and bagged the purple cap for his heroics, followed by the Indian cap too. .
Harshal Patel said he expected that with the kind of impact he made for RCB in the last few years, he would have thought they would retain him. He added that although he didn’t have a great season last season, he didn’t lose his abilities. Speaking to Jio Cinema, he explained:
“Honestly, the management would have felt, and even I felt, that my last season was normal. They may have thought I didn’t justify that price. So I hoped they would release me. At the same time, in the previous years, I had done very well at RCB, so I thought he would probably retain me as well. But you know, the thoughts of the franchises and the players may not coincide.
“Every team needs an Indian fast bowler, especially those who can bowl at the death. Even though I didn’t have a great season last year, that didn’t mean I lost any skills or confidence. I feel like if I do well, I can bowl in any situation.”
IPL 2024 auction: We will play good cricket and overcome title drought: Harshal Patel on joining Royal Challenge Bangalore
Harshal Patel further spoke about joining Punjab Kings (PBKS) and highlighted that he had previously played with some of the team’s players. He spoke about his relationship with Kagiso Rabada and Shikhar Dhawan and said that this time they will end the title drought. He explained:
“It feels very good. A lot of these guys, especially the fast bowlers, I actually rate very highly. With Kagiso Rabada, I have played for 2-3 years in Delhi and enjoy a great relationship with him.
“Obviously, I enjoy a great relationship with Shikhar bhai. So hopefully we will play some good cricket and overcome the title drought.”
Over the years, the kings of Punjab have lacked quality and quality. With Harshal Patel joining the team, it’s fair to say this department will be tidy. He is also skilled with the bat in the order and he is likely to play a vital role for the team.
In total, Harshal Patel has played 91 matches in the IPL and has picked 111 wickets. He also has 2 four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul to his name.