Follow UsAhead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, fast bowler Harshal Patel says that his batting has been under-utilised and hopes that the team management can use him in certain situations.
Harshal, who was brought back by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for INR 10.75 crore has more than once batted at the top of the oorder for his state side Harayana. But it is his bowling, especially in the death that has earned him a fat paycheck.
"All I can do is I can showcase the skill of batting during the practice games. That's how I got the role of the death bowler earlier," Harshal told Hindustan Times.
"I do feel I am under-utilised as a batter and have more to offer. If I can show something spectacular ahead of the tournament and the management sees that they can utilise me in certain situations, I will be very happy to subject myself to those."
Speaking of his bowling, Harshal says that he would like to add more to his skillset. "I feel like I have all the building blocks of a good T20 bowler or any format for that matter," Harshal who finished with 32 wickets at 14.34 in IPL 2021 said.
"I want to get tighter, accurate, and consistent with my execution because I have been playing the game at the professional level for the past 12 years. So, I understand and read the game and situation well.
"I have my strengths and weaknesses. I will continue to add different dimensions to my skillset. Like utilising angles or maybe developing another slower ball, which I can add to my armoury. Mentally, I want to be more consistent in thought.
"I believe consistency in action will bring about consistency in the result. I want to continue to live by the idea."
Harshal weighed in on the latest MCC rules classifying 'Mankading' as a run-out. "I can't say much about the saliva thing because I haven't played a lot of red-ball cricket in the last two years.
"But yeah, if you are playing in cold conditions, people who don't sweat, what are they going to do? How are they going to shine the ball? So that question remains to be answered for sure.
"And the Mankad thing, I felt it was a very absurd thing for us to discuss as a cricketing community because if it's in the rule book how can it be against the spirit of the game?"
RCB begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 27 at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.