Aakash Chopra has revealed that Harshal Patel expressed major disappointment at not being communicated properly by RCB before being released despite playing well for the franchise for the last four seasons.
While Harshal Patel had a sizeable price tag of INR 10.75 crore with RCB in the last two seasons, he had totally justified that price tag. Harshal took 32 wickets in the IPL 2021 season, in which he equaled Dwayne Bravo’s record of most wickets in a season, earning the nickname of ‘Purple Patel’.
In IPL 2022, he snapped up 19 wickets, and in IPL 2023, he picked 14 wickets, which was not bad considering he had to bowl in 7 home games at the Chinnaswamy stadium where not even the best bowlers are spared.
I thought RCB will show a little more faith: Harshal Patel
It remains a mystery to many as to why RCB decided to release three senior bowlers – Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Josh Hazlewood ahead of the IPL 2024 auction.
In his YouTube show Cricket Chaupaal, Aakash Chopra talked about RCB’s auction. In the video, he made a very interesting revelation about what Harshal told him about RCB’s management and owners. Chopra said Harshal revealed he was expecting to be retained despite having an ordinary season because he had picked 49 wickets in the two seasons before that.
Chopra said: “RCB released Hasaranga, Hazlewood, and Harshal. In fact, when Harshal came on Jio Cinema for a show with me, he said ‘I didn’t have a good season (in 2023), but before that I had two very good seasons. So maybe, RCB will show a little more faith. But no.'”
Chopra added: “Harshal told me that nobody even communicated with him; nobody even told him that they will release him. It was only when the list was announced that Harshal learned that he’s been released!”
Watch the video here:
RCB bought the likes of Alzarri Joseph, Tom Curran, Yash Dayal, and Lockie Ferguson in the auction. It could be said fairly that RCB’s bowling attack for IPL 2024 is even weaker than last season.
He bats. He bowls. He’s won the Purple Cap. 💪
Harshal is coming to drive us to glory! 🚗 🔥#HarshalPatel #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #JazbaHaiPunjabi pic.twitter.com/o7ydiJifAr
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) December 19, 2023
Punjab Kings pounced on this opportunity in the auction to buy Harshal and roped him in for INR 11.75 crore.
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