BENGALURU: It wouldn’t be out of place to call Harshal Patel a Royal Challengers Bangalore veteran. The 32-year-old medium pacer has spent nine seasons with the Bengaluru franchise and has transitioned from a rookie to a match-winner.
As Faf du Plessis and his men chase the elusive IPL trophy, Harshal, in an exclusive interview with TOI, spoke about the season ahead, rule changes, challenges and more.
Excerpts:
I'm always looking for areas where I can add another dimension to my game. I've had Chinnaswamy stadium in my mind throughout my preparations, because the way you bowl or think is quite different here. I've worked on and corrected a lot of things which I was struggling with in the latter half of last year when we went for the World Cup and the series before that. Hopefully, all of those things will come together in the IPL and I'll be able to make a positive impact on the team's performance.
On the change in playing conditions/rules
It is going to be tactically challenging for the captain and the team in terms of when to use the DRS calls for wides or no-balls. If it will make a big enough impact, we will go for it. But we need to have a clear idea when to use it because those reviews are valuable and game-changing. As a team, we have discussed the new rules and are clear about when we are going to use reviews. The impact player rule is going to make a huge difference because you can play an extra batter or bowler. The quality of cricket will be better. But it also negates the role of multi-skilled players.
On playing six homes games in four weeks
The biggest advantage is less travel in the first month, which could help us be fitter and recover better. Also, once you get a hang of the conditions, you have your plans in motion and if you execute them well, the winning ratio can be high. Also, a good start would mean being placed well at the back-end of the tournament. On the flip side, if things don't go well at home, it'll be difficult to bounce back and resolve those problems because we are playing back to back at the same venue.
On missing Josh Hazlewood
Josh is a world-class bowler and it's hard to replace him. But we have enough players on the bench who can do the job for us. We'll take it a game at a time, try to fill his shoes and take the responsibility of bowling tight in the power play. (Mohd) Siraj is in good form and will take up the responsibility and provide us with a lot of positive impact in power play.
On working on batting
I enjoy batting a lot and made a conscious effort to actualize my talent in batting. I feel I'm far more talented with the bat than I am with the ball. I’ve tried to put together a method of scoring in different situations because each time I go out to bat, I’m going to be under pressure. It remains to be seen how it comes together during matches.
On playing domestic cricket
There's tremendous value to playing domestic cricket. A lot of people don't realise that the player and bowler I am today is only because of my 12-13 years’ experience of playing domestic cricket. It teaches you a lot in terms of adapting to different conditions, playing back-to-back matches.
On dealing with a challenging year
I haven't had a lot of time to sit back and process all that. From my sister's passing to my son's birth and playing for India, life has changed in unimaginable ways. Being part of the T20 World Cup team (in September 2022) gave me a lot of joy and then not getting a game there was again a setback.
On returning to the home turf
It's incredible. Every time RCB turns up to play the Chinnaswamy stadium, the atmosphere is electric. I’m looking forward to experiencing that in a game environment and giving the fans some great memories.
On the challenges of playing at the Chinnaswamy stadium
It is important to break the momentum when the batters get going, because here, as a bowler when you start getting hit, it's hard to put the brakes on it. The defensive side of bowling will be a great challenge. That said, the wicket offers assistance with the new ball and there's always enough pace and bounce on the surface. I think there will be some lateral deviation under lights.
