Harshal Patel : Man of Match India v New Zealand T20 Cricket, Ranchi, India

BY Dr. Nilesh  D. Mehta

HI INDIA NEWS DESK

CHICAGO, IL – Harshal Vikrambhai Patel was not a household name in cricket. Born in Sanand, Gujarat, 31-year-old Patel has played domestic cricket in India for over ten years. Needless to say, this tireless cricketer has paid his dues when it comes to hard work and commitment to the sport. Rising through the ranks in domestic cricket, he has been playing with the star-studded Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Royal Challengers Bangalore. Playing with names like AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and Virat Kohli would be a dream of any cricketer in any format of the sport. It was May 22, 2021, when Patel dismissed Hardik Pandya, Keiron Pollard, and Rahul Chahar to get his first IPL hat trick. His previous five attempts to get a hat trick in cricket were not successful, but finally, his wish came true against Mumbai Indians. Patel grabbed 32 wickets in the fourteenth edition of the Indian Premier League in 2021 giving him the Purple Cap for the tournament. Since then, he is often referred to as Purple Patel.

Patel’s cricket journey has been a long and arduous one. Realizing that his opportunities to play for Gujarat may be limited, he made a decision to move to Haryana and played domestic cricket in the northern part of India. Being a green card holder, he could very well have attempted a career in the United States. However, his passion for pursuing excellence in cricket was too deep and it is a lesson for young aspirants of the sport.

He rightfully earned a spot to play for India in the Twenty20 match against New Zealand at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association Oval Ground in Ranchi on November 19, 2021. It was a debut that Patel will never forget. Grabbing two vital wickets, he was declared the Man of the Match.

After the Twenty20 match v New Zealand in Ranchi, Patel spoke quite eloquently about his journey. Following these two consecutive wins in Twenty20 v New Zealand, India has an unassailable lead in this Twenty20 series. He spoke about the basic skill set a player possesses and the virtue of patience. Patel said, “it takes a while to inculcate in your thought process. You figure out what things work well for you. Then, you go and execute it. People do not talk much about patience. Progress does not happen overnight. It is slow progress and gradual process.”
Patel certainly has waited inordinately long time for his call to the national team. Patel added, ” It is important to realize our own potential. I knew that I could play at the highest level with the ball and bat. My process was driven by my internal drive to constantly get better. I always felt that if you put in the work, you can sleep well at night, and eventually things will go in your favor.” Persistence, hard work, and patience appear to be Patel’s formula for success.

Patel also remarked ”cricket is also about adaptation. My slower yorkers were not on target and I had to change my strategy.” This happened during his debut match in Ranchi against New Zealand.

Patel is a wise cricketer who has used his guiles and experience to the fullest. Even though he has blossomed a bit later than what he might have originally thought, he brings out the value of being persistent in life. It is a good lesson for all young athletes.

While the popular “Purple” Patel may be the new nickname for this hard-working cricketer, I would certainly like to call him Harshal “Persistent” Patel which certainly exemplifies him.