"He is one of our leading bowlers in the country at the death" - Sachin Tendulkar's special praise for Harshal Patel during IPL 2022
Former Indian legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar hailed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Harshal Patel for proving once again why he is one of the best in the country at the death.
The 31-year-old picked up figures of 4/34 and ensured that the Punjab Kings (PBKS) didn't cross the 210-run mark, which looked highly achievable at one stage. Sachin Tendulkar believes Patel's strength has been his deception and he has been using that really well.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Tendulkar explained why Patel is arguably one of the best death bowlers India have at the moment. He said:
"The only reason Punjab could score 209 and not more was because of Harshal Patel. His bowling is improving day by day and is able to disguise his variations well. He is one of our leading bowlers in the country at the death. When batters are looking to accelerate, Harshal is a top bet."
Dream11 GameChanger of the Match between @RCBTweets and @PunjabKingsIPL is Harshal Patel.
#TATAIPL #DreamBig @Dream11 #RCBvPBKS https://t.co/LNuCYGlf7L
Liam Livingstone's bat speed and backlift is incredible: Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar believes that although Jonny Bairstow played a sensational knock of 69, it was his compatriot Liam Livingstone who helped Punjab cross the 200-run mark.
It didn't start as a trademark Livingstone innings as he decided to give himself some time at the crease. But once he was set, Livingstone targeted the RCB bowlers smartly and ensured Punjab had a daunting total on the board.
On this, Sachin Tendulkar stated:
"Livingstone's bat speed and backlift is incredible. He was not only hitting big sixes but also showed great experience. A batter like him is expected to play at a strike rate of 150 and also bat till the end which he did. It was because of Livingstone that Punjab scored 209 runs on the board."
Punjab will be high on confidence after their comprehensive win over RCB. However, they still need to win both their games to give themselves the best chance of making it to the playoffs.