Harshal Patel has given the credit for his T20 bowling success to former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan in a recent interview.
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The rise of Indian pacer Harshal Patel has been meteoric after his success in IPL 2021 with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Harshal Patel was re-signed by RCB in IPL 2022 auction for a whopping price of INR 10.75 crores.
Harshal broke all sorts of IPL records when he scalped 32 wickets in IPL 2021, the highest by any bowler in one season. He also got a new nickname in “Purple Patel”. After his successful IPL stint, he was selected as India’s net bowler in T20 World Cup and he has also played 8 T20Is for the national team.
Harshal Patel credits Zaheer Khan for his slower balls
Harshal Patel recently appeared in the show “Breakfast with Champions”, and he shared an interesting story about former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan. Patel is quite famous for his slower balls at the death, and he revealed that he got inspired by Zaheer Khan in the ICC 2011 World Cup.
“If I have to look at one person who sort of legitimized slower balls, it was Zaheer Khan in the 2011 World Cup,” Harshal said.
Harshal Patel was with RCB in IPL 2012, and Zaheer Khan was also associated with the franchise. Harshal revealed that Zaheer Khan used to come to him after every ball to teach him how to package his slower ones with the regular deliveries he used to bowl.
“I got my education in T20 bowling from him,” Harshal said about Zaheer Khan.
“He used to come to me every single ball and tell me what to Bowl.”
Purple Patch = Purple Cap 💜
Harshal Patel’s been on 🎯 with his timely breakthroughs for #RCB this season.#PlayBold #CSKvRCB #VIVOIPL #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/wHaHWSRWvR
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 25, 2021
Harshal Patel revealed one such incident when Zaheer Khan asked Harshal to not bowl the slower ball, but he did and Robin Uthappa smashed him for a six. Zaheer did scold Harshal Patel for the same after the incident.
“I remember we were playing in Pune and he had told me not to Bowl the slower ball,” Harshal revealed.
“I bowled a slower ball to Robin Uthappa and he hit me for six over mid-wicket.”
