Indian bowler Harshal Patel got off to a rough start in the present T20I series against South Africa, giving 43 runs and taking only one wicket in his four-over quota. He rebounded back well in the following match at Cuttack, when he bowled three overs for 17 runs and took the wicket of Henrich Klaasen.
The pacer put in a far better performance in the third match, which India won convincingly, as he has done in the shorter format over the last couple of years.
The 31-year-old, speaking about the foundations of his rapid ascent in T20s, said he doesn’t worry about his particular pace and instead depends on variations, which were bringing rewards to him.
Harshal said during the pre-match press conference before of the 4th T20I in Rajkot, “My focus has always been to develop skills around my bowling and whatever limitations and advantages I have in my bowling”.
“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”.
“I would certainly prefer to play on slow wickets. It gives you a fighting chance. 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 further added.
Harshal made his India debut following the T20 World Cup in November the year before, and after more than six months in international cricket, the 31-year-old has 17 wickets at an average of 19.52 in 11 matches.
