Follow UsHarshal Patel, whose four-wicket haul played a key role in India winning the third T20I against South Africa in Vizag, has asserted that he prefers to play on slow wickets as such pitches tend to give bowlers a ‘fighting chance’. Renowned for his ability to thrive on slow and low wickets, Harshal got obliterated on a flat Delhi wicket in the first game of the series, with the Proteas taking 43 off his 4 overs. But the 31-year-old bounced back in the next two games, taking 1/17 off 3 in Cuttack before claiming a fine four-wicket haul in Vizag.
Speaking ahead of the fourth T20I, the right-armer claimed that slower wickets tend to bring the bowlers into play more, and attested that flat wickets have the ability to hamper a bowler’s confidence.
"I would certainly prefer to play on slow wickets. It gives you a fighting chance,” Harshal said.
“If you can keep playing on pitches like Delhi it can hamper your confidence a little bit.
"We have bowlers who can bowl on all pitches but it brings them more into the game when there are slightly slower pitches and slightly bigger ground dimensions," he added.
The RCB bowling mainstay, who relies a lot on his variations to outsmart the batters, believes he needs to keep developing his skills and reinventing himself owing to him not possessing express pace.
"I can't worry about pace because I can't bowl fast as Umran Malik. I have to develop skills to render myself effective at the international level. I have never been an express fast bowler though on a good day I can go near 140 kmph.
"My focus has always been to develop skills around my bowling and whatever limitations and advantages I have in my bowling,” the 31-year-old said.
Following turning his career around in 2021, Harshal now has two excellent seasons of IPL under his belt and has also been a star for the national team in T20Is, having picked 17 wickets in 11 games. But the right-armer believes the only way he can sustain success is by being one step ahead of the opposition.
"To be honest, people have been trying to anticipate what I am bowling for the last two years (in IPL). With every bowler the longer they play, the opposition will realise what the bowler’s strengths and patterns are.
"As a bowler my job is to stay one step ahead of them. At the end of the day you can have 15 plans but on a particular day in a pressure situation if you don't go out and execute with confidence, everything doesn't fall in place.
"My focus is on trying to execute the best possible delivery at that point of time.”
(with PTI inputs)