Harshal Patel was the Purple Cap winner at IPL 2021. His 32 wickets from just 15 matches are the joint-most in a season in the tournament’s history. However, Patel’s best performance coming at the age of 30 had fuelled doubts about whether he could be considered a long-term asset by the national team.
Sunil Gavaskar brushed aside these conjectures, saying Harshal Patel can extend his IPL form to international cricket. He also said the Haryana all-rounder has been rewarded for his efforts which should be cherished by all.
Gavaskar told Sports Today:
He added:
Harshal Patel was a net bowler in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Since returning from the UAE, he has featured in five Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 matches for Haryana, opening the batting and leading the bowling attack. So far, Patel has already registered eight wickets and 85 runs.
For the latest T20 World Cup points table, click here.
“Good thing that somebody as experienced as Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in the squad” - Sunil Gavaskar
Unlike Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s selection to the team has courted more criticism than praise. Kumar hasn’t looked at his best in the last 12 months and didn’t encourage confidence with his wicketless spell against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup opener either.
However, Sunil Gavaskar believes that Bhuvneshwar Kumar deserves another opportunity to make a comeback. The former captain also feels that the right-armer’s experience would be vital for India against New Zealand.
Gavaskar said:
The first India-New Zealand T20I will be played on November 17 in Jaipur.
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