IPL 2021: Harshal Patel says AB de Villiers is his last "dream wicket"
After playing in the IPL for nine long years, Harshal Patel now only yearns for the wicket of his Royal Challenger Bangalore (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers.
Harshal Patel has stated he has already picked up all of his "dream wickets" - Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli - in the IPL. He hopes to never play against the RCB in the future, but if that happens, De Villiers' scalp will be the one he'll target.
"I've already got my dream wickets. I had dismissed Sachin Tendulkar back in 2011. I have also taken the wicket of MS Dhoni twice and Kohli once. All these are my dream wickets. I hope I never play against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the future but if that happens, I would love to take the wicket of AB de Villiers," Patel told India TV.
Harshal Patel had a breakthrough IPL 2021 campaign. The pacer dovetailed into the role of a death-over bowler for the RCB and picked up 17 wickets from seven innings. He held the Purple Cap for most of the now-postponed IPL season.
Virat Kohli covers up my lack of celebration with his passion: Harshal Patel
Speaking on Virat Kohli, Harshal Patel said the RCB skipper covers up for his lack of celebration with his passionate antics.
The 30-year-old also revealed some of his on-field chats with Kohli and explained how the Indian captain helped him fare better in high-pressure situations.
"I usually don't celebrate my wickets with so much passion. Virat covers it up. It's his passion. His involvement on the field and his energy are exceptional. In a team sport, if you enjoy your teammate's success, your side eventually plays as a cohesive unit. When I bowled a no-ball on my first ball against Mumbai Indians, Virat just told me to focus on the length. There was no other conversation. When there's too much noise, you just need simple feedback and all other things get blurred in the background," Patel signed off.
Harshal Patel has barged into India's plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup with his impressive performance in IPL 2021. He'll possibly get a chance to firm that claim further in the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in July.